Every year, June is observed as “Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month” in the United States – an opportunity to spread the word about Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other dementias. Sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association, the 2022 campaign is a time to recognize caregivers for the unique support they provide to people living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. A progressive neurologic disorder, AD causes the brain to shrink, resulting in the death of brain cells.
One of the most common causes of dementia, AD results in a continuous decline in thinking, behavioral and social skills that affect a person’s ability to function independently. There is no specific treatment modality that completely cures AD symptoms. However, consuming certain medications may help temporarily improve or reduce the intensity of symptoms. For accurate clinical documentation of this brain disorder, neurologists can utilize the services of a reputable medical billing and coding company.
As per reports from the Alzheimer’s Association, every three seconds someone in the world develops dementia, with nearly 55 million people currently living with the disease worldwide. More alarmingly, this figure is expected to reach 132 million by 2050. The 2022 month-long campaign aims to educate the community about AD and correct common misconceptions about this brain disorder. The exact causes of AD are not known. However, a combination of certain major factors like age, family history and genetics, mild cognitive impairment, down syndrome, head trauma, poor sleep patterns and other related lifestyle and environmental factors tend to increase the risk of this condition in the long run.
The month-long campaign aims to educate people on important facts concerning the progression of the illness and the number of older adults that it affects around the world.AD is an incurable disease that affects the nerve cells and tissues in the brain, affecting an individual’s ability to remember, think and plan. In due course, people with this condition will lose their ability to communicate, recognize family members and friends, and care for themselves.
Dementia is a brain condition that affects parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language and Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. AD accounts for 60-80 percent of dementia cases. While the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease increases with age, AD is not considered a normal part of aging. The condition tends to affect women more severely than men and the majority of people with Alzheimer’s are 65 and older.
Initially, the signs and symptoms of AD begin slowly. However, in due course, the symptoms become severe enough to interfere with the daily tasks. Memory loss or difficulty to remember recent events or conversations is the key symptom of Alzheimer’s disease. As the disease progresses to advanced stages, other symptoms like – disorientation, mood and behavior changes, deepening confusion about events, time and place, and difficulty speaking, swallowing and walking tend to develop.
There is no exact test that confirms the presence of this brain syndrome. Diagnostic assessment of AD begins with self-reporting of symptoms and imaging tests. Neurologists may recommend brain imaging tests like – Electroencephalogram (EEG), Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Computerized tomography (CT), and Positron emission tomography (PET) that help better identify the factors causing symptoms so that treatment can be initiated early.
Neurologists and other specialists providing treatment for AD and related brain disorders have to report the correct diagnostic and procedural codes on their claims to ensure due coverage. Neurology medical billing and coding services provided by experienced medical coding companies focus on ensuring that the right ICD-10 codes are used for billing purposes.
ICD-10 diagnosis codes for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) include –
- G30 – Alzheimer’s disease
- G30.0 – Alzheimer’s disease with early onset
- G30.1 – Alzheimer’s disease with late onset
- G30.8 – Other Alzheimer’s disease
- G30.9 – Alzheimer’s disease, unspecified
Under category G30, coders must assign the following additional codes to signify –
- F05 – Delirium, if applicable
- F02.81 – Dementia with behavioral disturbance
- F02.80 – Dementia without behavioral disturbance
As part of the 2022 campaign, the Alzheimer’s Association encourages people around the globe to support the movement by wearing purple, and help fight Alzheimer’s disease. Purple is the official color that represents the fight against Alzheimer’s.
People can share their story about AD by posting or sharing images of them wearing purple, and showing their solidarity in the fight against Alzheimer’s via social media platforms. You can use the hashtag #EndAlz and #AlzheimersAndBrainAwarenessMonth via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. You can also participate in The Longest Day® on June 21 – a sunrise-to-sunset event conducted to honor patients with Alzheimer’s disease with strength, passion and endurance. Other activities include – making donations to the Alzheimer’s Association and holding public events and seminars to spread awareness about Alzheimer’s.
Participate in Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness campaign this June. Utilize this opportunity to spread the word about Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, and the need for proper medical care and attention.
