COMPREHENSIVE PHARMACOLOGICAL AND MULTI DISCIPLINARY APPROACHES IN ALZHEIMER ’S DISEASE CARE
The most frequent type of dementia is Alzheimer disease (AD), as it is a condition characterized by progressive cognitive impairment, a rising prevalence rate, and high socioeconomic costs, which are why it is regarded as an important global health issue. The disease is also typified by complicated pathophysiological processes that comprise amyloid-beta plaque deposition, neurofibrillary tangles which are composed of hyperphosphorylated tau protein, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and advanced neuronal decline. Such pathophysiological mechanisms result in the loss of memory, behavioral anomalies and functional lack of independence. Treatment of the Alzheimer disease is a complex exercise that involves a combination of interventions like pharmacological and multidisciplinary care methods. Pharmacological interventions that are currently available, such as cholinesterase inhibitors and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists, are mainly designed to enhance cognitive functions and slow down functional deterioration. Moreover, newer diseasemodifying therapies causing amyloid and tau pathology are under research in order to delay the progression of the disease and solve the underlying biological process. Nevertheless, pharmacotherapy cannot be considered enough to address the complex clinical manifestations of the Alzheimer disease. The collaboration of neurologists, psychiatrists, pharmacists, nurses, psychologists and social workers in multidisciplinary care is also an important factor in optimizing the results of treatment. Pharmacists can make a significant contribution in terms of improving medication safety and adherence by managing the medication therapy, monitoring polypharmacy, deprescribing, and educating patients and their caregivers. Non-pharmacological treatments including cognitive stimulation, lifestyle change and caregiver support programs can also help to positively change patient well-being and functional outcomes. The combination of pharmacological and multidisciplinary strategies can be used to develop the personalized treatment plans to support medical and psychosocial factors of Alzheimer disease. This holistic approach helps in the early diagnosis of this disease, constant observation of its development, and better quality of life of patients and their caregivers. The further development of neuropharmacology and biomarker-based diagnostics as well as precision medicine can contribute to the improvement of therapeutic results and introduce some new possibilities of disease-modifying interventions