Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Presented By: Jillymae Medina

What is ALS?

Often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's disease”

It’s a progressive neurological disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord

The onset is between 40 to 70 years of age

Twice as many men as women are affected

What happens to the body in ALS?

For unknown reasons, motor neurons in the brainstem and spinal cord gradually degenerate.

When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost

Early symptoms of ALS

Difficulty lifting the front part of the foot (footdrop)

Weakness in the leg, feet or ankles Hand weakness or clumsiness Slurring of speech or trouble swallowing Muscle cramps and twitching in the arms,

shoulders and tongue Fatigue The muscles begin to atrophy

•Limbs begin to look "thinner" as muscle tissue atrophies.

What else?

Eventually, when the muscles in the diaphragm and chest wall become too weak, patients require a ventilator to breathe

Most people with ALS die from respiratory failure, usually 3 to 5 years after being diagnosed

Diagnosis

No test can provide a definitive diagnosis of ALS

Patient's full medical history and a neurological examination to assess whether symptoms are getting progressively worse

Diagnosis

The diagnosis of ALS is primarily based on the symptoms and signs the physician observes in the patient and a series of tests to rule out other diseases:

Electromyogram Nerve Conduction Study MRI, CT Scans Spinal Tap Blood & Urine Test Muscle biopsy

Treatment

No cure has yet been found for ALS Riluzole (Rilutek) is believed to reduce damage

to motor neurons by decreasing the release of glutamate

Rilutek prolongs survival by several months The drug also extends the time before a patient

needs ventilation support Does not reverse the damage already done to

motor neurons, and patients taking the drug must be monitored for liver damage and other possible side effects

Treatment

A physical therapist can recommend a low impact excersice to maintain muscle strength and ROM

An occupational therapist may be able to suggest devices such braces, walker or wheelchair and ramps that make it easier for the pt to get around

A speech therapist can help teach techniques to make speech more clearly understood and offer devices to make communication easier

Prognosis & Nursing Care

ALS usually leads to death within 2 to 6 years after diagnosis

This illness is devastating because the pt remains cognitively intact while wasting away

Nursing care is aimed to support the patient’s cognitive and emotional state in means of communication, reading, companionship and helping the patient and family cope with the disease process

THE END