Number of dementia sufferers could double every 20 years

Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias will afflict 35.6 million people in 2010, about 10 percent more than previously estimated because of a higher number of cases in developing countries than doctors realized, researchers at Alzheimer’s Disease International claim in a new report. The number of dementia sufferers may almost double every 20 years to 115.4 million in 2050, the report claims. The disease and other dementias now cost an estimated $315 billion a year internationally, and the additional, unexpected cases could lead to a heath care crisis says Alzheimer’s Association Chief Executive Officer Harry Johns, who claims it has been difficult to get attention from global health organizations because they often focus on reducing deaths rather than on treating disability. "We’ll be spending the equivalent of the stimulus package every two years if we don’t address this," Johns said.

Bloomberg.com