Medical Malpractice Alzheimer’s Diagnosis

January 1, 2026

A Washington Post article of October 1, 2013 stated that approximately five million people suffer from Alzheimer’s disease in the United States. Misdiagnosis is common. The disease is frequently confused with dementia. The symptoms are similar. The treatment is different.

The cause of Alzheimer’s disease is the deposit of protein fragments called beta amyloid in the spaces between the nerve cells. The diagnosis is typically through an autopsy. However with increased scan capability, there are PET scans which with the use of radioactive dye show the presence of amyloid plaques. The FDA has approved this dye. However Medicare does not cover the scans. The scans are expensive. If the scan is negative that does rule out Alzheimer’s. If the scan is positive as to the presence of the amyloids, that does not mean that the person has Alzheimer’s. But it suggests a tendency to develop it. Therefore the physician must coordinate the results with the clinical findings. Call or contact us for a free consult.

Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer’s

There are several signs/symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease:

Memory loss disrupting daily life that is more than just sometimes forgetting names or appointments.
Changing ability to plan or solve problems that is more significant than occasionally making errors when balancing a checkbook.
Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure.
Confusion with time or place.
Unable to understand visual images and spatial relationships.
New problems with words either in ability to speak or write.
Frequency of misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps.
Decrease in judgment that is more serious than making that one bad decision once in a while.
Withdrawing from work or social activities.
Also changing mood and personality.

Alzheimer’s Disease Malpractice-Arteriosclerosis

Arteriosclerosis is simply a hardening of the arteries which restricts the blood flow. That blood flow restriction means that less oxygen makes its way to the brain. Less oxygen to the brain creates symptoms that mimic those of Alzheimer’s and dementia. If the patient’s condition is simply arteriosclerosis, that may require diet changes or medication. That is entirely different than what a doctor prescribes for Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. For info on medical malpractice see the pages on this site

If there is any evidence of a recent head injury that needs to be factored in. That may cloud any diagnosis of Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s Disease Malpractice-Other Culprits

Whether it’s Alzheimer’s or dementia could make a difference in terms of treatment.

One form of dementia is referred to as “vascular dementia”. This exists where the damage occurs in the brain’s white matter involving the insulated nerve fibers. These nerve fibers carry signals from one neuron to the next. A neuron is simply a nerve cell. Those nerve cells need to be fed by the blood vessels. If the blood flow is somehow blocked, then that white matter suffers. That means that the transmission of electrical impulses is impaired.

That lack of proper blood flow may be a result of high pressure or it may be a result of cardiac illness. Those types of things are preventable. As a result, vascular dementia may be preventable.

Another form of dementia is what is called “Lewy body dementia”. This occurs where protein clumps attach to the neurons. In doing so, they damage the ability of the neurons to transmit electricity. There is no designated treatment for this other than maintaining good hydration and overall attempting to maintain a good diet.

A third form of dementia may be what is called “frontotemporal dementia”. This affects the frontal lobe of the brain. Within the frontal lobe exists your inhibitions. That is, the brain cells that tell you not to act stupid. The problems are a result of certain proteins becoming dysfunctional. To some extent this may be controlled by diet and exercise. Other symptoms of this type of dementia are apathy, lack of motivation or aphasia, that is difficulty speaking. Frequently this problem is misdiagnosed as being a psychiatric condition when in fact it is not.

Alzheimer’s Disease Malpractice-Drug Treatments

Also there are several different Alzheimer’s disease drugs. However they treat the symptoms of cognitive impairment. They only stave off the decline.

Call or contact us for a free consult. More information on this condition can be found at .Alzheimer’s. Also see the pages on Wikipedia.

Brien Roche

Brien A. Roche has been an attorney since 1976. Mr. Roche is admitted to practice in Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Maryland. In addition to his busy law practice, Mr. Roche is also a published author of several books & articles relating to the practice of law.

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