Epidemiology

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Guide de pratique clinique pluridisciplinaire relatif à la collaboration dans la dispense de soins aux personnes âgées démentes résidant à domicile et leurs aidants prochesPublished by: Groupe de Travail Développement de recommmandations de première ligneLast published: 2017Multidisciplinaire richtlijn voor thuiswonende oudere personen met dementie en hun mantelzorgersPublished by: Werkgroep Ontwikkeling Richtlijnen Eerste Lijn (Worel)Last published: 2017

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia.

The number of people living with dementia worldwide more than doubled from 20.2 million in 1990 to 43.8 million in 2016, with a further increase to an estimated 57.4 million in 2019.[6][7]​​​​ ​The total number of people living with dementia is predicted to reach 83 million by 2030 and 153 million by 2050. Increases are caused mainly by increases in population ageing and growth; age-standardised both-sex prevalence is predicted to remain stable between 2019 and 2050.[7]​ Projected increases in case numbers show geographical variation, with smallest percentage changes in high-income Asia Pacific and western Europe, and largest changes in North Africa, the Middle East, and eastern sub-Saharan Africa.[7]

In the US, 4% of the population has a diagnosis of dementia; AD accounts for approximately 60% to 70% of dementia cases.[8]​ In 2023, there were estimated 6.7 million people in the US living with AD, and this is projected to increase to an estimated 13.8 million by 2060.[9]​​​​​

The prevalence of AD in Europe has been estimated to be around 5% to 7%, with a reported incidence of 11.08 per 1000 person-years (95% CI 10.30 to 11.89); both increase with age.[10][11]

AD occurs more commonly in women than in men.[7]​​[10]​​​​ Prevalence of dementia is higher in black and Hispanic people than in white people.​[12][13]​​

Early onset AD (age <60 years) is often inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern and accounts for <1% of cases.

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