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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Presented By: Jillymae Medina. Often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's disease” It’s a progressive neurological disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord The onset is between 40 to 70 years of age Twice as many men as women are affected.

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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

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  1. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Presented By: Jillymae Medina

  2. Often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's disease” It’s a progressive neurological disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord The onset is between 40 to 70 years of age Twice as many men as women are affected What is ALS?

  3. What happens to the body in ALS? • For unknown reasons, motor neurons in the brainstem and spinal cord gradually degenerate. • When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost

  4. Early symptoms of ALS • Difficulty lifting the front part of the foot (footdrop) • Weakness in the leg, feet or ankles • Hand weakness or clumsiness • Slurring of speech or trouble swallowing • Muscle cramps and twitching in the arms, shoulders and tongue • Fatigue • The muscles begin to atrophy

  5. Limbs begin to look "thinner" as muscle tissue atrophies.

  6. What else? • Eventually, when the muscles in the diaphragm and chest wall become too weak, patients require a ventilator to breathe • Most people with ALS die from respiratory failure, usually 3 to 5 years after being diagnosed

  7. Diagnosis • No test can provide a definitive diagnosis of ALS • Patient's full medical history and a neurological examination to assess whether symptoms are getting progressively worse

  8. Diagnosis • The diagnosis of ALS is primarily based on the symptoms and signs the physician observes in the patient and a series of tests to rule out other diseases: • Electromyogram • Nerve Conduction Study • MRI, CT Scans • Spinal Tap • Blood & Urine Test • Muscle biopsy

  9. Treatment • No cure has yet been found for ALS • Riluzole (Rilutek) is believed to reduce damage to motor neurons by decreasing the release of glutamate • Rilutek prolongs survival by several months • The drug also extends the time before a patient needs ventilation support • Does not reverse the damage already done to motor neurons, and patients taking the drug must be monitored for liver damage and other possible side effects

  10. Treatment • A physical therapist can recommend a low impact excersice to maintain muscle strength and ROM • An occupational therapist may be able to suggest devices such braces, walker or wheelchair and ramps that make it easier for the pt to get around • A speech therapist can help teach techniques to make speech more clearly understood and offer devices to make communication easier

  11. Prognosis & Nursing Care • ALS usually leads to death within 2 to 6 years after diagnosis • This illness is devastating because the pt remains cognitively intact while wasting away • Nursing care is aimed to support the patient’s cognitive and emotional state in means of communication, reading, companionship and helping the patient and family cope with the disease process

  12. THE END

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