Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2017 May 9;3(3):301-304.
doi: 10.1016/j.trci.2017.03.008. eCollection 2017 Sep.

Diagnostic dilemmas in Alzheimer's disease: Room for shared decision making

Wiesje M van der Flier  1   2 , Marleen Kunneman  3 , Femke H Bouwman  1 , Ronald C Petersen  4 , Ellen M A Smets  3
Affiliations
Review

Diagnostic dilemmas in Alzheimer's disease: Room for shared decision making

Wiesje M van der Flier et al. Alzheimers Dement (N Y). .

Abstract

The launch of the NIA-AA research criteria for Alzheimer's disease (AD) diagnosis illustrates the large advances that have been made in the field of AD diagnosis. These new possibilities however also introduce new dilemmas into the consulting room, and this provides room for shared decision making (SDM). SDM refers to clinicians and patients (and/or their caregivers) working together to decide which care plan best fits individual patients and their lives, when there is more than one reasonable option. Here, we describe how SDM in the diagnosis of AD promotes patient-centered care, as it helps to adapt the diagnostic process to the patients' values and preferences. We provide an outline for a research agenda, as SDM in the diagnosis of dementia should be studied intensively incorporating the views of both patients and caregivers.

Keywords: Alzheimer; Communication; Diagnostic testing; Mild cognitive impairment; Shared decision making.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. McKhann G.M., Knopman D.S., Chertkow H., Hyman B.T., Jack C.R., Jr., Kawas C.H. The diagnosis of dementia due to Alzheimer's disease: recommendations from the National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer's Association workgroups on diagnostic guidelines for Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement. 2011;7:263–269. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Albert M.S., DeKosky S.T., Dickson D., Dubois B., Feldman H.H., Fox N.C. The diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease: recommendations from the National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer's Association workgroups on diagnostic guidelines for Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement. 2011;7:270–279. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Kunneman M., Montori V.M., Castaneda-Guarderas A., Hess E. What is shared decision making? (and what it is not) Acad Emerg Med. 2016;23:1320–1324. - PubMed
    1. Szasz T.S., Hollender M.H. A contribution to the philosophy of medicine; the basic models of the doctor-patient relationship. AMA Arch Intern Med. 1956;97:585–592. - PubMed
    1. Charles C., Gafni A., Whelan T. Shared decision-making in the medical encounter: what does it mean? (or it takes at least two to tango) Soc Sci Med. 1997;44:681–692. - PubMed