Dementia Care: Focus on Prevention, Limited Value in Early Diagnosis & Treatment
A new report from the Health Council of the Netherlands advises prioritizing preventative measures to combat the expected rise in dementia cases, driven by an aging population (currently over 290,000 people affected and projected to increase). The report, requested by the Minister of health, Welfare and Sport, finds that current methods for early dementia diagnosis are unreliable for widespread use in primary care.
While biomarker tests can identify protein accumulations in the brain through scans, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, and blood tests, thier diagnostic and predictive value remains limited. Crucially, even with early diagnosis, there are currently no effective treatments available to halt or significantly slow the progression of the disease.
The committee also notes that existing medications for Alzheimer’s disease offer only a limited effect on cognitive decline, come with a risk of serious side effects, and are costly. Moreover, they are only suitable for a small percentage of individuals with Alzheimer’s pathology.
Prioritizing Prevention
The Health Council strongly recommends a focus on preventative measures targeting known risk factors for dementia. These include managing high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, and obesity. Such interventions not only reduce dementia risk but also offer proven benefits for cardiovascular health, cancer prevention, overall mortality, and quality of life.
Key Recommendations:
* prioritize Blood Pressure Management: Lowering blood pressure has strong evidence supporting its role in reducing dementia risk.
* Population-Wide Approach: Preventative measures should be implemented across the entire population.
* Culturally Sensitive Outreach: Recognizing that dementia risk factors are more prevalent among individuals with a migration background, preventative programs must be adapted to be linguistically appropriate and sensitive to cultural differences and existing knowledge levels.
