Dementia is a general term that describes the decline in mental activity severe enough to interfere with daily activities. Of several types of dementia, Alzheimer's disease is the most common type, accounting for an estimated 60 to 80 percent of cases.
Although some medicines are palliative, none cures the disease. Fortunately a recent discovery may change the outlook for treatment and eventually lead to a cure.
It is estimated that 5.4 million Americans live with Alzheimer's today. Their care involves approximately 15 million people at an annual cost of $183 million. While deaths by HIV/AIDS, stroke and heart disease have diminished in the past several years, deaths due to Alzheimer's have steadily increased. Every 69 seconds, somebody in the U.S. develops the disease.