FEATURED MEDICAL EDUCATION TOPIC: Alzheimer’s Disease

What is the problem?

Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia, affects an estimated 7.4 million Americans age 65 and older in 2026, and prevalence is expected to rise as the population ages. Because symptoms develop gradually, diagnosis is often delayed until daily function is affected. PET, emerging imaging approaches, recently FDA-cleared blood tests, and newer therapies for early-stage disease have expanded physicians’ options. Physicians therefore need current knowledge of screening, diagnosis, and treatment to promote earlier detection, appropriate management, and quality of life.

Professional Practice Gap:

Alzheimer’s disease is substantially underdiagnosed in its early stages. A national Medicare analysis found that primary care clinicians diagnosed only about 8% of expected cases of mild cognitive impairment. Because newer therapies are effective only in early-stage disease, delayed diagnosis limits treatment options. Clinicians need greater knowledge and competence in cognitive screening, biomarker interpretation, and treatment selection.

Proposed Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Assess the risk factors in patients with suspected cognitive impairment.
• Differentiate the clinical stages of Alzheimer’s disease, including early-onset disease.
• Select and interpret screening, laboratory, and imaging approaches for diagnosis.
• Develop treatment plans using current and newly approved therapies.
• Counsel patients on strategies to reduce risk and support cognitive function.
• Identify higher-risk populations and address language barriers in assessment.

If your medical staff needs an update on Alzheimer’s disease, consider contacting our office to book a speaker at 714-505-4777 or info@speakersnetwork.com.

How do we know this is a problem?

1. Alzheimer’s Association. 2026 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures. https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/facts-figures
2. Liu Y, Jun H, Becker A, Wallick C, Mattke S. Detection rates of mild cognitive impairment in primary care for the United States Medicare population. J Prev Alzheimers Dis. 2024;11(1):7–12. doi:10.14283/jpad.2023.131
3. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA clears first blood test used in diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease [press release]. May 16, 2025.
4. National Institutes of Health. Blood test predicts start of Alzheimer’s disease symptoms. NIH Research Matters. March 17, 2026. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/blood-test-predicts-start-alzheimers-disease-symptoms