As the Alzheimer's victim's mind continues to slip away, the patient may invent words and not recognize familiar faces. The very essence of the person is vanishing. Memory is now very poor and no one is recognizable. Patients lose bowel and bladder control, and eventually need constant care. They become vulnerable to pneumonia, infection and other illnesses.
Respiratory problems worsen, particularly when the patient becomes bedridden.
This terminal stage eventually leads to death. The tendency to develop some forms of Alzheimer's disease is believed to be hereditary. Early-onset Alzheimer's, a rare form of the disease, which usually strikes people in their 40's and 50's, has been linked to possible genetic defects on three chromosomes. The more common form of Alzheimer's which generally occurs after age 65, has been linked to an inherited protein called apoliprotein E, or apoE. Of the three versions of the protein that can be inherited-apoE2, apoE3 and apoE4, studies have shown that people who inherit the E4 version of the protein are more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease. A blood test is available to identify which apoE alleles a person has, because apolipoprotein is associated with an already well-studied condition, heart disease.