Question

Mrs. J reports, "My husband was okay until about 4 months ago in Arizona when he began having trouble driving. He also could not recall where he put things and soon after that could not remember our friends' names. He got more withdrawn and not very talkative. I am afraid he might have had a stroke, or worse, he may have Alzheimer's disease. What do you think?"

What additional information from the patient's medical history may be helpful for the health care provider to determine the diagnosis?

Answer 1

To determine the correct diagnosis for Mrs. J's husband, additional medical history details such as past neurological events, family history of dementia or Alzheimer's, and the existence of other symptoms like personality changes and difficulty with tasks are necessary.

Step-by-step explanation:

To accurately diagnose the husband’s condition, additional information from the patient's medical history would be beneficial. This includes understanding any past medical issues, such as occurrences of strokes or transient ischemic attacks (TIA), which could have long-term effects on memory and cognition. Furthermore, details regarding any family history of dementia or Alzheimer's disease would be pertinent, as these conditions can have a hereditary component. Additionally, lifestyle factors and the presence of other symptoms like changes in speech, difficulty performing known tasks, and personality changes should be assessed.

A history of abrupt perceptual or motor changes might suggest a stroke, for which the mnemonic FAST (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) could have been a useful immediate assessment at the onset of symptoms. It's also essential to consider alterations in the ability to manage finances and the onset of irritability, which alongside memory loss may be indicative of Alzheimer's or other forms of cognitive impairment.