1. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Presented By: Jillymae Medina

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. THE END