Rapidly progressive dementia: Things to know

Rapidly progressive dementia refers to a group of dementias that progress quickly, typically over the course of weeks to months, but sometimes up to two to three years. Unlike other forms of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease, these dementias can rapidly lead to severe cognitive decline and loss of independence.

The presentation and progress of RPD will vary between individuals. People affected will usually develop problems with their memory, thought processes and communication. Many people also have personality or behavioural changes and mood disturbance, as well as movement changes that can occur as a result of brain damage. These cognitive and behavioural changes can make it difficult to complete everyday tasks such as managing medications, dressing and bathing independently.

There are some early signs of rapidly progressive dementia to look out for.

The average age of onset of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (or CJD which is rare, degenerative, fatal brain disorder) is 60–70 years. Those affected may initially experience several early symptoms, all of which may occur weeks before the onset of nervous system dysfunction. These include:

RPD can be difficult to diagnose, so we advise you consult a doctor with specialist knowledge.

RPD is often a challenging condition to diagnose. Despite this, it is critical to perform an evaluation as early as possible, usually in a hospital setting, following a structured approach to diagnosis. The initial step in this process may be to evaluate for delirium and perform tests to attempt to rule out infections, autoimmune disorder, cancer, vascular disease, and toxic-metabolic disorders.
Among older adults in particular, most cases of sudden confusion and RPD are caused by delirium from an infection – especially urinary infections and pneumonia – that can cause the following symptoms in people:

Some forms of RPD are treatable, particularly if they are detected at an early stage.

The potential for treatment depends on the type of RPD that is diagnosed. For example, for RPD caused by cancer, hormone imbalance or vascular disease, treatment of the underlying cause may help treat the dementia symptoms also. For some cases of RPD, particularly due to CJD, there are treatments available which are effective in reducing distress, maintaining comfort, and improving quality of life.

Fully regulated by the CQC / CIW

At Helping Hands, our dementia care service is fully managed and regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

From your very first phone call to our friendly team, every aspect of your home care service is independently monitored and regulated by the CQC and Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW).