Alzheimer Disease Prevalence Estimates Predict Dramatic Increase by 2050

Using 2010 census data, researchers confirm a previous prediction of a nearly threefold increase in U.S. patients with AD.

Alzheimer Disease (AD) is among the top 10 most common causes of death in the U.S. The impact of AD is increasingly recognized by healthcare providers and healthcare economists alike, and has led to the release of the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease. Given that advancing age is the most common risk factor for AD, the documented aging of the population predicts an important increase in the number of AD patients. For the current study, researchers used longitudinal, population-based data from more than 10,000 people aged 65 and older in a geographically defined metropolitan area.

During the study period (1997–2010), 402 incident cases of AD were diagnosed using standard evaluation techniques and diagnostic criteria. The authors ex…

Reviewing Author

Brandy R. Matthews, MD

Disclosures

Grant / Research supportNational Institute on Aging

Brandy R. Matthews, MD

Disclosures

Grant / Research supportNational Institute on Aging