Managing Older Patients Who Have Neurologic Disease: Alzheimer Disease and Cerebrovascular Accident

Neurologic diseases represent some of the most common disabling and costly conditions in older age. Alzheimer disease and cerebrovascular accidents (strokes) are two of the most common neurologic conditions, and represent the leading causes of nursing home placement. Dental professionals will be caring for older patients who have age-associated neurologic diseases, including Alzheimer disease and stroke because of the increased longevity of the United States population coupled with improved survivorship of these conditions as a result of advanced medical diagnosis and treatment. Understanding the clinical manifestations of these two common, but distinctly different, neurologic conditions will enable dental professionals to provide safe and rational dental care.