The rise in the aging population of the United States is expected to dramatically increase the number of people with Alzheimer’s disease. Between 1995 and 2030, the number of people 65 and older will double. Four million people currently have Alzheimer’s disease. In another 35 years, it’s estimated 8 million will have it, said William Burke, M.D., a psychiatrist in the combined Creighton- Nebraska Department of Psychiatry.
Dr. Burke, who is a professor and located on the University of Nebraska Medical Center campus, is involved in a 100-center, 26-week study of Exelon, a newly-developed Alzheimer’s drug. Ten people with mild to severe Alzheimer’s are needed to test the drug’s safety and effectiveness in reducing symptoms of Alzheimer’s. The reduction of symptoms could lessen the burden of those caring for Alzheimer’s patients and possibly delay admissions into nursing homes.
“Taking care of someone with Alzheimer’s is often more than one person can deal with,” Dr. Burke said. “Those with Alzheimer’s may not sleep, have memory problems, may not recognize their family members or spouse, and they may have delusions, depression or become agitated easily — behavior that is out-of-character.”
Currently, there are two FDA-approved Alzheimer’s drugs on the market — Cognex and Aricept — both drugs tested in clinical trials at UNMC, Dr. Burke said.
“The impact of Alzheimer’s on society is huge considering the number of people who will need supervised care at some point,” Dr. Burke said. “We need to do a better job not only by developing more effective medications, but also trying to put off the onset of the disease. If we could put off the disease by five years, it would cut the number of cases in half.”
Dr. Burke said those affected by Alzheimer’s need physical and social care that places a heavy burden on caregivers, and ultimately causes admission to nursing homes due to physical problems caused by the brain illness.
“This drug may lessen the symptoms, at least temporarily, reducing the burden on the caregiver and delaying the need for the nursing home, possibly up to several years,” Dr. Burke said. “It costs anywhere from $30,000 to $50,000 a year for a nursing home.”
All treatments and medications associated with the study are free.
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