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UTHSCSA

WE MUST END THE

ALZHEIMER’S TSUNAMI

By: William L. Henrich, MD, MACP

In November 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed a joint res- More troubling, this tidal wave is intensifying.
olution passed by Congress that brought attention to the “two and Unless effective prevention and cures are discovered, the number
one-half million Americans” affected by Alzheimer’s disease and of Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease is expected to nearly
the $25 billion annual cost of nursing home admissions. triple to 13.8 million by 2050. By that time, Texas families may be
Today, 5.7 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease, which assisting 1 million of their loved ones affected by the disease.
costs the nation $277 billion a year. Nearly one-third of our senior Earlier this year, Sudha Seshadri, MD, founding director of the
adults die with a form of dementia, and every 65 seconds, an Amer- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Dis-
ican develops Alzheimer’s. eases at UT Health San Antonio, discussed these issues at a meeting
Texas ranks fourth nationally in the number of Alzheimer’s cases of The University of Texas System Board of Regents. “Responding
at 380,000 and is second in Alzheimer’s-related deaths (9,135 in to the Alzheimer’s Tsunami” was the theme, which was fitting be-
2016). Mirroring a national trend, deaths among Texans with cause we truly face a health care storm of immense proportions.
Alzheimer’s rose 180 percent between 2000 and 2015. Hispanics, The loss of memories and decision-making skills by those who have
who account for 40 percent of the state’s population, have a 30-50 Alzheimer’s is only part of the toll on families, Dr. Seshadri said.
percent higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s. This is because caregivers who manage their loved ones’ daily needs

26 San Antonio Medicine • January 2019