[Ethical considerations regarding the communication of diagnosis of prodromal Alzheimer's disease]

Population aging has increased age-related diseases such as dementia, Alzheimer's disease (AD) being the most common in older adults (50%-60%). It is one of the most feared conditions for its irreversible and incurable, by its chronicity and it consists of a long process of depersonalization. The clinical diagnosis is mainly based on DSM-IV and NINCDS-ADRDA. Definitive diagnosis is post-mortem, as it requires histopathological confirmation. However, there have been new diagnostic criteria based EA biomarkers, which can be done in life, anticipating the course of several years before dementia. Thus, physicians are increasingly exposed to AD patients in early stages, having to face the dilemma of communicating the diagnosis to a patient with cognitive failures and disease awareness, with the implications that generates about him and his family. The objectives of this paper will analyze the ethical problem of communication of clinical diagnosis of AD in prodromal stages (pre-dementia) in our country, based on the analysis of ethical principles (autonomy and non maleficence) involved in decision making.