Emergency Medical Minute

Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: The cause of Alzheimer’s disease is multifactorial, but the most widely suspected mechanism is the amyloid cascade hypothesis: Beta-amyloid proteins accumulate in the central nervous system, forming plaques that impair neuronal function. In recent years, advances have led to the development of targeted therapies with monoclonal antibodies. These drugs: Work by degrading amyloid plaques Slow the rate of cognitive decline and disease progression Have major side effects, most notably the development of amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA) ARIA may present as edema, effusion, or microhemorrhages, which are only detectable on MRI Symptoms can include headache, vertigo, or focal neurologic deficits that mimic stroke For patients presenting to the emergency department with stroke-like symptoms, it is important to consider whether they have a history of Alzheimer’s disease and whether they are taking these medications. This guides decisions about imagi