What’s the difference between a risk and a hazard? Well, if you’re not sure, ask the people around you. Chances are, they’ll give you the same quizzical look, too.
The difference is nuance. A hazard means “a threat to life or property.” A risk, on the other hand, is “a chance that something undesirable will happen,” but “not necessarily a threat to one’s safety.” For instance, the stock market is a shared risk among all investors.
When you hear people talking about the stock market these days, you might consider it a bit of a hazard, especially if you hold significant investments in the stock market. After all, there’s always the chance that the market could take a nosedive and you’d lose a large part of your investment, right?
Not so fast, kid.
While it’s true that there’s always the chance a risk can become a hazard, especially in today’s world where new risks emerge seemingly every day, you still need to weigh the risks and determine for yourself if they’re worth taking, or at least not necessarily avoiding. For example, the very act of buying insurance on your stocks and other investments reduces the risk of loss, making it something of a no-brainer. If you’re not sure what type of insurance to buy, the pros at halo insurance can help.
All Rise for the DPP!
Alzheimer’s disease is one of the more common forms of dementia, affecting as many as 47 million people worldwide, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. It’s estimated that more than 5 million of those people are in the United States alone.
While there is no known cause of Alzheimer’s disease, there is a family of proteins that has been linked to the development of the disease. These proteins, called beta-amyloid proteins or Aβ proteins, actually form the “amyloid plaque” that is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. The amyloid plaque is formed when Aβ proteins accumulate to excess levels in the brain, forming thick “senile plaque” clusters that invade the space between neurons and blood vessels. This, in turn, may lead to problems with cognitive function and memory loss. In Alzheimer’s disease, these plaques are usually found in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. And, since Aβ proteins tend to accumulate faster in men than in women, Alzheimer’s is often referred to as “the man-made disease.”
Unfortunately, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease as of yet, but there are various treatments that have been shown to help relieve the symptoms. One of the most common treatments is a medication called dimebon, which has been shown in studies to reduce the accumulation of amyloid plaques and decrease the deterioration of cognitive function and memory in those with Alzheimer’s.
A Dangerous Game
Dementia is a general term used to refer to the loss of mental abilities that are severe enough to interfere with a person’s daily functioning. The various forms of dementia affect people of all ages, but most often begin with symptoms that emerge in the later stages of life, such as Alzheimer’s disease. However, dementia often has a different set of symptoms in those who are younger. For example, in the youngest case of dementia seen in the medical literature, the patient showed no cognitive decline but instead displayed repetitive behaviors and severe mood swings. These cases were eventually determined to be a form of bipolar disorder.
Regardless of whether you’re younger or older when you develop dementia, the symptoms can be very similar. In the early stages of dementia, the person with the disorder may experience problems with short-term memory and attention, as well as a decline in language skills, especially with articulation. As the disease progresses, the patient becomes increasingly disoriented and agitated. In the later stages of Alzheimer’s disease, patients may also fall asleep during the day and have problems with night sleeping, as well as difficulty in remaining asleep for more than a few hours. Finally, as the disease becomes more advanced, the person with dementia may experience delusions, or false beliefs, and other types of hallucinations. Not all of these symptoms will arise in each case of dementia, but they are all characteristic of the disease.
The various types of dementia affect men and women alike, and while there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to treating the disease, there is a common theme that occurs across all cases of dementia: risk factors need to be avoided or reduced, and protective factors need to be maximized.
When Great Minds Collide
If you’re reading this, I assume you’re either a) a doctor, dentist, or nurse practitioner who specializes in elderly care or b) a person who cares for or lives with someone who is elderly. If this is the case, then you probably already know that the average person lives around 10 years longer than they did a century ago, which is fantastic! But, while it’s great to have more years on your side, it comes with some pretty serious side-effects, especially when it comes to your brain and how it functions.
Thankfully, there are researchers and medical professionals who are working hard to combat these effects and raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. One of the latest research breakthroughs that has emerged from this work is something called immunotherapy, which helps the body’s immune system better recognize and attack the amyloid plaques that are characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease. This therapy has the potential to greatly reduce the progression of this dread disease by attacking the root cause of it instead of just treating the symptoms.
What is Immunotherapy?
As previously stated, the amyloid plaque is one of the key factors responsible for the development of Alzheimer’s disease. This plaque forms when the Aβ proteins accumulate to excess in the brain. However, it is not the only factor, as there is still a lot of research to be done to fully understand how and why Alzheimer’s disease develops in some individuals but not others. Still, it is well-established that the amyloid plaque is what gives the disease its name, as this area of the brain accumulates plaque, which invades the surrounding tissues and blocks the flow of nutrients to neurons. This, in turn, leads to cognitive decline and dementia. So, in a way, removing the amyloid plaque is like killing two birds with one stone: not only will you be eliminating the root cause of the disease, but you’ll also be improving the patient’s quality of life by clearing their brains of this terrible substance. To do this, scientists have been working on vaccines that help the body’s immune system better recognize and combat the plaque formation, and some initial trials have shown promising results.
A Risky Business
While there’s no question that vaccines are a safe and successful way to prevent infectious diseases, especially in the elderly, there is some cause for concern when it comes to giving them before or during a surgical procedure. For instance, some studies have shown that the use of a vaccine two weeks before a neurosurgical procedure did not significantly reduce the patients’ anxiety or pain levels compared to a placebo group. Still, the results were positive enough that more research is required before definitive conclusions can be drawn.
In summary, while there is no denying that vaccines can be beneficial for those who receive them, there is also some risk associated with their use. Specifically, it is not recommended that they be given within two weeks of a neurosurgical procedure, as this may increase the risk of a postsurgical infection. Further research is required to better understand this risk.
In addition to the risk of infection, other possible complications of vaccination include an adverse reaction to the vaccine, such as anaphylaxis, an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system malfunctions, resulting in damage to different organs, especially the brain. Autoimmune diseases are relatively common and affect around 5% of the population. They can be triggered or exacerbated by environmental factors, such as viruses or bacteria, as well as certain foods or chemicals. In some cases, people with an autoimmune disease may require immunosuppressive medications or even a transplant to survive. Not all of these meds or surgeries are successful however, so being on the lookout for adverse reactions to vaccinations is extremely important. In particular, those who have autoimmune diseases or are at a higher risk of developing them should not take vaccines, as there is no known way to determine who will and who will not develop complications from a particular vaccination. Finally, some people have had severe allergic reactions to vaccines and may require further treatment, especially in cases where anesthesia was used during the procedure. Still, the benefits of vaccines far outweigh the risks in today’s world, and it would be negligent to deny those who need them the protection that they offer.