Podcast PTA FUNK: Einfach Englisch lernen – Dementia

Dialogue

PTA:                Good evening, what can I do for you?

Customer:       I’m worried about my mother. She’s been a bit forgetful these past weeks. A friend suggested that I give her ginkgo extract. What do you think?

PTA:                Gingko extract as a registered drug has shown some positive effects in mild to intermediate forms of Alzheimer’s disease but before taking that medicine you need to get a diagnosis. How old is your mother and in what way is she forgetful?

Customer:       She’s 80 and she adores her only grandson but recently forgot his birthday completely! She often mislays her keys and her glasses. When I popped in the other day to bring her the newspaper, she’d left the stove on after heating some soup. She’s also starting to repeat herself.

PTA:                Hmm, I see what you mean but there are many reasons for memory problems. Has your mother had an operation recently? Does she have diabetes or thyroid problems?

Customer:       No, I don’t think so. She is a bit overweight.

PTA:                Has she had a blood test recently?

Customer:       No, why?

PTA:                She may have a vitamin B 12 deficiency or high blood pressure, which is a high-risk factor especially if it appears in the middle-aged and is not treated adequately. The risks for dementia are the same as those for heart disease. Does she take any medication?

Customer:       She takes something to regulate her cholesterol levels and painkillers for her arthritis. She should be taking beta blockers too but she says she manages fine without them.

PTA:                That is definitely not a good idea. Does she have any difficulty walking?

Customer:       No, she’s actually quite fit. She does Nordic walking and she also enjoys doing crossword puzzles and sudokus.

PTA:                Does she smoke or drink alcohol?

Customer:       She has never smoked and she only drinks alcohol in company and in small amounts. Do you think she could have Alzheimer’s?

PTA:                Alzheimer’s, although quite common, is only one kind of dementia, so professional evaluation is important. Some conditions have similar symptoms but are reversible. The first thing to do is to see your health care provider, who may refer you to a neurologist or a geriatrician for tests.

Customer:       Is it true that aluminium causes Alzheimer’s?

PTA:                Increased levels of aluminium were discovered in the brains of patients who had died of Alzheimer’s in the 1970s but so far, no evidence has been found to determine whether it’s a cause or a result of the disease.

Customer:       Is there anything I can do to help before we get a diagnosis?

PTA:                Regular exercise is important and healthy food. A Mediterranean diet with lots of fruit and vegetables, oily fish and nuts would be good, especially if she has high levels of cholesterol. She should also drink plenty of fluids as dehydration is the cause of many health problems in the elderly.

Customer:       Then back to my original question. Do you have any teas with gingko extract? If it doesn’t help, it can’t do any harm, can it?

PTA:                I’m afraid that’s not correct. Ginkgo is known to interact with prescribed medication, e. g. blood thinners. When you have a clear diagnosis and a prescription or a recommendation for Ginkgo extract, we can do an interaction check with your mother’s medication.

Customer:       Thank you very much.