Dementia due to Alzheimer disease

Description

Dementia due to Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. Onset is insidious with memory impairment typically reported as the initial presenting complaint. The characteristic course is a slow but steady decline from a previous level of cognitive functioning with impairment in additional cognitive domains (such as executive functions, attention, language, social cognition and judgment, psychomotor speed, visuoperceptual or visuospatial abilities) emerging with disease progression. Dementia due to Alzheimer disease may be accompanied by mental and behavioural symptoms such as depressed mood and apathy in the initial stages of the disease and may be accompanied by psychotic symptoms, irritability, aggression, confusion, abnormalities of gait and mobility, and seizures at later stages. Positive genetic testing, family history and gradual cognitive decline are suggestive of Dementia due to Alzheimer disease.

Coding note

This category should never be used in primary tabulation. The codes are provided for use as supplementary or additional codes when it is desired to identify the presence of dementia in diseases classified elsewhere.

Coding note from above levels

This category should only be used for primary tabulation, if the aetiology of the dementia is unknown. If the aetiology of the dementia is known code to the aetiology of the dementia for primary tabulation. When dementia is due to multiple aetiologies, code all that apply.

Exclusions from above levels

• 6A00 – Disorders of intellectual development
• 6D70 – Delirium
• http://id.who.int/icd/entity/1516623224 – Neurodevelopmental disorders