Although early diagnosis is difficult in many cases, it can allow some patients to make necessary arrangements for care. Some can also benefit from new medications that may provide a measure of symptomatic relief. Unfortunately, many general practitioners are not trained to recognize the disorder and do not diagnose it until the condition has become severe. In addition, the availability and quality of specialist care varies greatly from country to country as well as within countries. A physical examination can rule out other dementias, such as those related to drug interactions, hypertension and other disorders.
Physicians look for signs of deterioration in memory, language and thought.
For example, people suffering from Alzheimer's disease tend to lose short-term memory, forget what words mean, become unable to recognise familiar people and objects and unable to orient themselves spatially. As deterioration continues, their ability to carry out such simple activities of daily living as dressing, bathing, toileting or even chewing and swallowing is increasingly impaired. Changes in mood, personality and behaviour are all too common. People with Alzheimer's disease are prone to wander at any time of day or night. They may be incontinent, disoriented in time and space or demonstrate uncharacteristically aggressive behaviour.