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Blood test boosts Alzheimer's diagnosis accuracy to 94.5%, clinical study shows

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Re: Blood test boosts Alzheimer's diagnosis accuracy to 94.5%, clinical study shows

#141

Post by TaupeRanger »

kozinc wrote: post #96
dataflow wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This analogy has a rather fatal flaw, which is that we already know people who've gotten Alzheimer's , and we also know for a fact people will continue to fall victim to it, at a pretty predictable rate. i.e. the detection has already happened ! Anyone who was waiting for a potential victim to appear before researching the cure already has all the reasons they need to research it. Detecting whom exactly the next vict…

It may not change much as far as researching a treatment or cure goes, but it may help with other stuff, like being better prepared for the future, like organizing a health care worker or getting family members to help out or to look out for you, and other stuff, which you might not be able to do at a later stage of Alzheimers. While there aren't any cures yet, certain treatments and lifestyle strategies may slow its…

More information is not always better for the patient. If you could detect the disease 5 years before symptoms began, there are certain psychological harms that come with that knowledge. These must be balanced against the things you mention about "slowing" the disease (unclear if any treatments do much for a given individual) and planning your future. You talk about quality of life, but quality of life declines the MOMENT you learn that you have a progressive, incurable, disease that will slowly rob you of your mind. It's not clear at all that knowing about your disease earlier is actually better for anyone.

Re: Blood test boosts Alzheimer's diagnosis accuracy to 94.5%, clinical study shows

#142

Post by Spooky23 »

renewiltord wrote: post #77
fletchowns wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Those plans should be in place regardless of the results of a blood test

No, they shouldn’t. Makes no sense to plan for living with a mental disability if you’re not close to needing it. I am absolutely not going to plan on a care facility right now. That sounds absolutely bogus.

My genetics are such I'm more likely to drop dead of a heart attack too young.

If I were likely to develop alzheimer's, I'd make more and more expensive accommodation for power of attorney and trusts to shield assets while I was competent to do so.

Re: Blood test boosts Alzheimer's diagnosis accuracy to 94.5%, clinical study shows

#144

Post by TaupeRanger »

MagicMoonlight wrote: post #122
dataflow wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This analogy has a rather fatal flaw, which is that we already know people who've gotten Alzheimer's , and we also know for a fact people will continue to fall victim to it, at a pretty predictable rate. i.e. the detection has already happened ! Anyone who was waiting for a potential victim to appear before researching the cure already has all the reasons they need to research it. Detecting whom exactly the next vict…

If you know they’re going to have it twenty years early, then you can try out preventative treatments. You can look at causes. You can get them to put power of attorney in place and prepare for their future. Why are you so furious about the idea of people knowing?

No one is furious, but it is well established in epidemiology that more knowledge is not necessarily better for the patient. There are psychological harms that occur from the moment you learn that you have a disease that will slowly rob you of your mind. In general, you want fewer harms in your life.

Re: Blood test boosts Alzheimer's diagnosis accuracy to 94.5%, clinical study shows

#145

Post by stvltvs »

TaupeRanger wrote: post #141
kozinc wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It may not change much as far as researching a treatment or cure goes, but it may help with other stuff, like being better prepared for the future, like organizing a health care worker or getting family members to help out or to look out for you, and other stuff, which you might not be able to do at a later stage of Alzheimers. While there aren't any cures yet, certain treatments and lifestyle strategies may slow its…

More information is not always better for the patient. If you could detect the disease 5 years before symptoms began, there are certain psychological harms that come with that knowledge. These must be balanced against the things you mention about "slowing" the disease (unclear if any treatments do much for a given individual) and planning your future. You talk about quality of life, but quality of life declines the M…

I understand the concern about anxiety about their impending condition, but medical providers must not paternalistically decide to withhold a diagnosis from patients, at least not in all cases.

If I got an early diagnosis, it would motivate me to get my affairs in order to lessen the burden on my family and check off some bucket list items before it's too late. Don't rob me of that opportunity.

Before ordering the test, ask patients "If you were going to get Alzheimer's, would you want to know?"

Re: Blood test boosts Alzheimer's diagnosis accuracy to 94.5%, clinical study shows

#146

Post by TaupeRanger »

iamflimflam1 wrote: post #69
foobiekr wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I want to know so that I can make plans. Including end of life plans, in all senses.

Exactly - there are things that I would change now to make sure I make thing easier for myself and - more importantly - easier for the people around me.

Like what? You should already have a will, life insurance, etc. even without the disease. All you're doing by knowing earlier is causing psychological harms to yourself and the people you tell, adding more years of anxiety, grief, and sadness for no gain. Think about the bigger picture.

Re: Blood test boosts Alzheimer's diagnosis accuracy to 94.5%, clinical study shows

#147

Post by AnimalMuppet »

TaupeRanger wrote: post #144
MagicMoonlight wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you know they’re going to have it twenty years early, then you can try out preventative treatments. You can look at causes. You can get them to put power of attorney in place and prepare for their future. Why are you so furious about the idea of people knowing?

No one is furious, but it is well established in epidemiology that more knowledge is not necessarily better for the patient. There are psychological harms that occur from the moment you learn that you have a disease that will slowly rob you of your mind. In general, you want fewer harms in your life.

You don't see any harm in a disease slowly robbing your mind, while you are not warned, and so you waste the time you have left?

Re: Blood test boosts Alzheimer's diagnosis accuracy to 94.5%, clinical study shows

#148

Post by stvltvs »

sandworm101 wrote: post #132
janeway wrote: post #51

“We have no cure. I don’t want to know.” If astronomers announced that a large asteroid might strike Earth in twenty years, and that we currently had no way to deflect it, nobody would respond by saying, “Come back when you already have the rocket.” We would immediately build better telescopes to track it precisely, refine its trajectory models, and begin developing propulsion systems capable of interception. You do…

These are 50yos, not elderly retirees. What if knowing caused your employer to deny you a promotion? Im in the military. This sort of diagnosis on one's file could have real impact on future prospects. People already fear ADHD tests for the same reason. I know a guy who is leaving the military after 20+ years flying transports. He is applying to airlines. If you were an airline, would you higher an experienced pilot…

An argument for a robust social safety net for when a diagnosis threatens your career in a safety-critical field.

Re: Blood test boosts Alzheimer's diagnosis accuracy to 94.5%, clinical study shows

#149

Post by lr4444lr »

janeway wrote: post #51

“We have no cure. I don’t want to know.” If astronomers announced that a large asteroid might strike Earth in twenty years, and that we currently had no way to deflect it, nobody would respond by saying, “Come back when you already have the rocket.” We would immediately build better telescopes to track it precisely, refine its trajectory models, and begin developing propulsion systems capable of interception. You do…

Okay but even that analogy is limited. Incurable progressive diseases almost invariably have lifestyle factors, supplements, or medications that can at least slow the rate of progression for many people. Those are also often more effective when started during early stage detection. There is literally nothing the average person can do about the asteroid.

Re: Blood test boosts Alzheimer's diagnosis accuracy to 94.5%, clinical study shows

#150

Post by lr4444lr »

TaupeRanger wrote: post #146
iamflimflam1 wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly - there are things that I would change now to make sure I make thing easier for myself and - more importantly - easier for the people around me.

Like what? You should already have a will, life insurance, etc. even without the disease. All you're doing by knowing earlier is causing psychological harms to yourself and the people you tell, adding more years of anxiety, grief, and sadness for no gain. Think about the bigger picture.

Downsizing your house? Picking your long term care location? Changing your asset balance? Recording more photos, audio, and video?

Knowing an early, painful fate allows you to approach it with dignity.

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