What your doctor may well do first

The following diagnostic tools may be used to help make a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease:

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Patient history: A patient history helps the doctor assess an individual's past and current health situation. It also helps the doctor evaluate any medical problems, develop a plan of treatment, and monitor the patient's health over time. During this evaluation, the doctor asks the patient a series of questions. A thorough patient history includes:

• Patient's identifying information
• Chief complaint
• History of current illness
• Past medical history
• Current health status
• Psychosocial history (marital status, living conditions, employment, sexual history, significant life events)
• Mental status
• Family history (including any illnesses that seem to run in the family)
• Review of symptoms

Physical exam: The physical examination is part of the patient care process. The exam enables the doctor to assess the overall physical condition of the patient. If the patient has a medical complaint, the physical exam provides the doctor with more information about the problem, which helps the doctor determine an appropriate plan of treatment. The physical exam includes an evaluation of the following:

• Vital signs (temperature, blood pressure, pulse)
• Height and weight
• Skin
• Head, eyes, ears, nose
• Throat/neck
• Chest, including lungs and heart
• Breasts
• Abdomen
• Bones and muscles
• Nerves
• Rectal/genital area
• Chest X-ray (may be used by the doctor to help rule out other disorders that may be causing symptoms similar to those of Alzheimer's disease)