Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease
Treatment:
There is no known cure for Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease. Custodial
care may be required early in the course of the disease. Medications
may be needed to control aggressive behaviors. These include
sedatives, antipsychotics, and others.
The need to provide a safe environment, control aggressive
or agitated behavior,
and meet physiologic needs may require monitoring and assistance
in the home or in an institutionalized setting. This may include
in-home care or institutionalization. Family counseling may
help in coping with the changes required for home care.
Visiting nurses or aides, volunteer services, homemakers,
adult protective services, and other community resources may
be helpful in caring for the person with Creutzfeldt-Jacob
disease.
Behavior modification may be helpful in some cases for controlling
unacceptable or dangerous behaviors. This consists of rewarding
appropriate or positive behaviors and ignoring inappropriate
behaviors (within the bounds of safety). Reality orientation,
with repeated reinforcement of environmental and other cues,
may help reduce disorientation.
Legal advice may be appropriate early in the course of the
disorder, to form advance directives, power
of attorney, and other legal actions that may make it
easier to make ethical decisions regarding the care of an
individual with Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease.
Expectations (prognosis):
The outcome is usually very poor. Complete dementia
commonly occurs within 6 months or less, with the person becoming
totally incapable of self care. The disorder is fatal in a
short time, usually within 7 months, but a few people survive
as long as 1 or 2 years after diagnosis of the disorder. The
cause of death is usually infection, heart
failure, or respiratory
failure.
Complications:
- infection
- heart failure
- respiratory failure
- loss of ability to function or care for oneself
- loss of ability to interact with others
- side effects of medications used to treat the disorder
(see the specific medication)
Calling your health care provider:
Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease is not an emergency disorder,
but early diagnosis and treatment may make the symptoms easier
to control.
Update Date: 02/09/00
Updated by: J. Gordon Lambert, MD, Associate Medical Director,
Utah Health Informatics and adam.com
editorial
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