Research Paper on Dementia Disease State

Introduction

In the healthcare industry, medical terminologies are widely used in communication between various professionals. It is their language which assists them to understand what is happening to their patients or what courses of action to be taken in different situations. The medical terminologies are not just important to the medical professions, but they should be understood by people in other areas of the industry such as medical billers and assistants. People working in this industry who do not have adequate knowledge of the medical terms have the potential to cause harm to the patients receiving their services. Dementia is clinically diagnosed when one acquires certain cognitive deficiencies which interfere with their functioning in daily activities (Foley & Swanwick, 2017). The purpose of this paper is to enforce the essence or importance of medical terminologies in the healthcare industry. This research paper utilizes and views dementia as a disease where the professionals and other workers extensively use medical terminologies.

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Literature Review

Medical terminologies help the workers in the healthcare industry to be more efficient in the communication process and have a clear understanding of what is required of them (Michigan Medicine, 2015). In this industry, doctors and other professionals use the terminologies interchangeably, but it all depends on the situations and the context since different meanings can be attributed with them (Michigan Medicine, 2015). For instance, in cardiology, heart rate, pulse, and heart rhythm are used by doctors interchangeably, but they all have different meanings in different encounters (Michigan Medicine, 2015). The job performance of healthcare workers can be improved by gaining a better understanding of the medical terminologies (Portland Community College, 2017). The medical terminologies are used in the training and everyday activities in the healthcare industry. Understanding them is vital to have the necessary experience to undertake tasks such as running diagnostic analysis on patient's samples or performing surgical procedures.

Methodology

The research methods used to compile this research paper include internet related searches and communication with some professionals in the industry. The internet provided many peer-reviewed articles that have been prepared by others with the help of healthcare workers. Furthermore, some of the articles used were prepared by healthcare groups or professionals from their experience and general knowledge in the field. On the other hand, I interviewed various medical workers in the field. I happen to have friends in the medical or healthcare industry who were more than happy to assist me in the research on the importance of the terminologies they used. I compiled response from a few workers I knew. Their contribution was helpful as they were talking from experience which gave me a better connection with the research purpose and how to acquire the information I required.

Results and Discussions

Dementia is one of the mental conditions where medical terminologies are extensively used. The terminologies help to improve the patient safety (Portland Community College, 2017). Alzheimer Disease can be referred to as an illness of the brain which results in memory problems, behavioral and psychological issues. In the case of Alzheimer's disease, research has revealed that when one is experiencing Alzheimer's, two proteins usually increase in the brain abnormally. These proteins are known as amyloid and tau. The proteins interfere with the normal functioning of brain cells such as the communication process between them. The doctors and caregivers need to have adequate knowledge of the medical terms such as those given to the proteins that are associated with Alzheimer's disease. If the healthcare workers confuse them or use the wrong terms, it can have a huge difference in the services that the patients are required to receive. The identifiable symptoms of Alzheimer's disease in its early stages include (Alzheimer's Research UK, 2014):

• The patient often forgets names of people, places, items or recent events;
• He or she might be repeating the same question or statement in close intervals'
• The patient might also start misplacing his or her items or keeping them in awkward places;
• Forgetfulness when it comes to the time or date;
• The patient might even begin to get lost in places they are well acquainted with;
• Other symptoms may be changes in behavior, for instance, losing confidence or irritability.

Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) is another example of a medical terminology associated with dementia. FTD which is also referred to as Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (FTLD) is associated with different conditions for people with dementia. FTD is not common, and the people who are usually affected by it are those aged between 30 to 60 years (Alzheimer's Research UK, 2014). FTD is also caused by the abnormal buildup of proteins in the brain. The medical terminologies help the workers to provide more efficient care. As there are different types of dementia, the terminologies used help the workers to understand the conditions affecting specific patients and how to deal with it. The frontal and temporal lobes areas of the brain are the ones affected during FTD. Some of the symptoms associated with FTD include:

• Personality Changes: This kind of changes affect the manner in which people with dementia express their feelings, emotions or the way they interpret those of others;
• Lack of Personal Awareness: In this context, personal awareness refers to grooming and personal hygiene of the patients. They usually start becoming unaware of the importance of such practices.
• Behavioral Changes: People with dementia might develop some unusual beliefs, obsessions or interests they never had before;

People with FTD are usually unaware of the changes in their personality, behavior or interests.

Medical terminologies help the practitioners to avoid errors in their practices. Lewy Body Disease is a form of dementia is characterized by Lewy bodies being present in the brain. The Lewy bodies are caused by the clumping of alpha-synuclein which is a protein. The terms such as alpha-synuclein help the doctors to understand the exact situation or condition of the patients (Markham, 2013). The clumps develop inside nerve cells. The abnormal clumping happens in specific sections of the brain, and this results to changes in the behavior, thinking, and movement of the patient (Dementia Australia, 2017). Some of the symptoms associated with this form of dementia include:

• Variation in the alertness and attention of the patient: One might have episodes of functioning properly to being completely confused about the current task or situation:
• Parkinson's-type symptoms: One might have trouble when it comes to walking, such as difficulties in slowing or walking. The patient might also experience stiffness which usually occurs in the brains;
• Fainting and falls: People with this subtype of dementia go through fainting episodes and falling while moving around on their own;
• Visual hallucinations: One might see people, items or animals before them which are in reality not there.

Medical terminologies help with easy documentation in the healthcare industry (Markham, 2013). Down Syndrome Dementia (DSD) and Posterior Cortical Atrophy (PCA) are two other forms of dementia. The medical terms use abbreviations to represent longer terms used in the industry. Abbreviations such as DSD and PCA assist the medical practitioners to have a full understanding of the condition of the patient by just looking at a few abbreviated terms. Down syndrome dementia affects the individuals with chromosome 21 in their genes which is extra genetic material (Alzheimer's Association, 2016). People with this extra genetic material have a high likelihood of developing other forms of dementia such as Alzheimer's disease or similar ones. PCA is associated with the degeneration of the cortex or the outer layer of the human brain. The degeneration occurs gradually and progressively. These two forms of dementia also affect the normal functioning of the brain in different ways. Various methods and approaches have been used in the treatment of dementia. Some of them are discussed below.

Medical terminologies help healthcare providers to speak the standardized language of medicine. Cholinesterase Inhibitors is one of the treatments for dementia. Multiple neurotransmitter abnormalities are usually present in cases of Alzheimer's disease (Foley & Swanwick, 2017). The most common ones are cholinergic which are characterized by the low functioning of the choline acetyltransferase. They react by raising the transmission of the cholinergic through interfering with the acetylcholine breakdown. The recommended Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors include galantamine, rivastigmine, and donepezil (Foley & Swanwick, 2017).

The terms used in this treatment are part of the standardized language medicine that can be easily understood by the doctors and caregivers. The objective of this treatment is to manage cases of moderate or severe Alzheimer's disease. The candidates for using this medication are the dementia patients with Lewy bodies who exhibit distress symptoms or behavioral problems. It can also be applied to those with Alzheimer's who exhibit symptoms of changes in behavior that leads to distress. They are suitable when a non-drug treatment method has not had any breakthroughs or if the use of antipsychotic drugs is not an option. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors have been found to have positive results in cognitive stimulation for the dementia patients. However, this treatment has some unfavorable side effects to the patients. They are mostly gastrointestinal which involve diarrhea, vomiting, and instances of abdominal pains. These side effects can be managed by taking the medication after meals, or slowly increasing the dosage after initiation.

As mentioned earlier, medical abbreviations help for easier communication and understanding in the healthcare industry. Memantine is a medication which is an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist (NMDA) (Foley & Swanwick, 2017). In the cases of neurodegenerative disorders, glutamate has been used to stimulate the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor to prevent progressive brain damage. As one's dementia progresses, memantine is considered as a plausible practice. Specialists recommend memantine for the patients with moderate or severe Alzheimer's disease. Memantine can be used together with cholinesterase inhibitors or alone. However, this medication has some side effects on the patient. They include headaches, dizziness, hypertension, and constipation. This medication is used to assist the nerve cells in the brain to communicate with one another.

Conclusion

The paper has discussed the importance of medical terminologies by reviewing dementia and its different forms and characteristics. Medical terminologies help the workers in the industry to avoid errors, have easier communication as well as documentation. Dementia affects the functioning of the brain which results in various issues and problems. Alzheimer's disease is usually associated with memory loss, behavioral and psychological changes. For instance, the patient forgets names or places they are familiar with in their daily life. Frontotemporal dementia results in various issues to the patients. Different terminologies in this industry are used interchangeably and understanding them helps the medical specialist know what is expected of them. The terms are very important and need to be adequately understood by the people involved.

References

Alzheimer's Association (2016). 'Basics of Alzheimer's Disease: What it is and what you can do.' Alzheimer's...