Should Patients with Alzheimer's Disease Be Told Their Diagnosis?
- 2 April 1992
- journal article
- Published by Massachusetts Medical Society in New England Journal of Medicine
- Vol. 326 (14) , 947-951
- https://doi.org/10.1056/nejm199204023261410
Abstract
SHOULD patients in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease be told their diagnosis? We became interested in this subject in the course of evaluating and caring for patients with Alzheimer's disease and dealing with their care givers and families. Unlike patients with other chronic illnesses in which signs and symptoms prompt the patients to seek consultation on their own, our patients are often brought by family members who suspect the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Often our evaluation is preceded by impassioned pleas from the family not to disclose our findings to the patient should this diagnosis be confirmed. Intent on . . .Keywords
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