Alzheimer's for dummies / by Patricia B. Smith, Mary Kenan, and Mark Edwin Kunik ; foreword by Leeza Gibbons.

Includes index.

Contents
Introduction;
About This Book;
Conventions Used in This Book;
Foolish Assumptions;
How This Book Is Organized;
Icons Used in This Book;
Where to Go from Here;

Part I: Could It Be Alzheimer's Disease?;

Chapter 1: The Facts on Alzheimer's Disease;
Defining Alzheimer's Disease;
Busting the Myths About AD;
Looking at Symptoms and Causes;
Discovering Treatment Options;
Tackling Financial and Legal Issues;
Making Medical Decisions and Providing Care;
Finding Respite; What Should I Do Now?;

Chapter 2: Symptoms, Causes, and Risk Factors;
Getting an Idea of What to Look For.
Red Flag or Red Herring?
Looking at Some Theories on the Causes of AD;
Examining Risk Factors for Developing Alzheimer's Disease;

Chapter 3: Getting a Diagnosis;
How Doctors Diagnose Alzheimer's Disease;
Finding Someone to Do an Evaluation;
Before You Seek a Diagnosis: Collecting Medical History;
Understanding AD Diagnostic Tests;
What to Do When the Diagnosis Is Made;

Chapter 4: Distinguishing Alzheimer's Disease from Other Medical Conditions;
Making Sure that You Have a Reliable Diagnosis;
It May Be Dementia, but Is It Alzheimer's?;
Ruling Out the Usual (and Unusual) Suspects.

Chapter 5: Identifying Your Fears: For the Patient and the CaregiverConcerns for the Alzheimer's Patient; Concerns for the Caregiver;

Part II : Helping a Loved One Manage the Illness;

Chapter 6: Understanding the Stages of Alzheimer's Disease;
How to Use the Classifications;
Three Stages;
Four Stages;
Five, Six, and Seven Stages;
The Current Thinking: Assessing Alzheimer's Stages Via Cognitive and Functional Impairment;

Chapter 7: Evaluating Drug Therapies;
A Little Background on Brain Chemistry;
Reviewing Current FDA-Approved Drugs;
Considering Other Types of Drugs.

Chapter 8: Avoiding Snake Oil and Other Ineffective TreatmentsTreatments and Tests That Aren't Worth Your Time or Money;
Sniffing Out Scams: Five Warning Signs to Look For;

Chapter 9: Taking Part in Clinical Trials;
What Is a Clinical Trial?;
Weighing the Benefits and the Risks When Participating in a Clinical Trial;
Finding Clinical Trials;
Enrolling in a Clinical Trial;
What Happens During a Trial;
Current Alzheimer's Trials;

Chapter 10: Promising New Drugs and Diagnostic Tools;
The Current State of Affairs;
Promising (and Not-So-Promising) New Drugs. An Ounce of Prevention: The Hunt for an Alzheimer's VaccineDrugs and Therapies Already Approved for Other Uses;
Testing Positive: Looking for the Definitive Diagnosis;

Chapter 11: Finding Alternative Therapies;
Calming Alzheimer's Disease Patients;
Having Some Fun and Easing Isolation;

Part III : Providing Care for the AD Patient;

Chapter 12: Making Medical Decisions;
Finding the Right Healthcare Provider;
Building a Team;
Keeping Good Records;
Using Alternative Therapies;
Evaluating Clinical Trials;
Understanding the Importance of Cholinesterase Inhibitors.