Other estimates have ranged to above four million. The researchers, who specialize in such statistics, compared those rates to projections for the U.S. population and found cases would more than triple. But they said treatment that delayed the onset of disease would greatly reduce that impact. Delaying onset by one year would result in 210,000 fewer cases 10 years later and 770,000 fewer cases 50 years later. There are no drugs on the market that really do that, but companies are working to develop them.
Current drugs can help symptoms.
Two drugs are approved in the United States for use against Alzheimer's. Aricept, made by Japan's Eisai Co. Ltd. and distributed by Pfizer, can help reduce memory loss but eventually stops working. Ginkgo, a tree extract, may also help sharpen the memory in Alzheimer's patients. Another problem is diagnosing Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's starts with simple memory loss and advances to confusion, severe memory loss and physical deterioration as more brain cells are destroyed.