The Círculo Ecuestre hosted a conference led by Dr. Josep Maria Argimon, Director of Healthcare Relations at the Pasqual Maragall Foundation, in a discussion entitled Alzheimer's and its Prevention: Past, Present, and Future. This discussion brought together a large number of attendees interested in the challenges of this disease.
Following the presentation by Anna Gener, member of the Círculo Ecuestre's Governing Board, the expert began his talk by highlighting the major challenges facing medicine: "Many have been overcome and controlled, just as will happen with Alzheimer's through research."
Regarding the main symptoms of the disease, the doctor emphasized that "Alzheimer's is not a disease associated with memory loss, but rather a disease that progresses and ends in people becoming dependent". "Therefore, the ability to remember, reason, and think is progressively lost", he stated.
Josep Maria Argimon then emphasized that "it is a disease with a significant social impact that affects a person's entire environment and, therefore, also affects their family members."
During the speech by the Director of Relations with the Health System at the Pasqual Maragall Foundation, Argimon stated that "one of the great challenges of the 21st century is population growth, which will lead to more neurodegenerative diseases and more dependency, in addition to other related problems." He went on to add that "it is estimated that there are currently around 50 million people with the disease worldwide, and it is estimated that there are around 1 million nationally, but there is no consolidated registry for this figure."
The expert also emphasized the key role of Alzheimer's prevention, stating that "its onset can be prevented and/or delayed" and specifying that "up to 45% of cases can be prevented through many controlled factors, such as cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes, tobacco, physical exercise, among others". "These are factors related to the heart."
In this regard, Dr. Josep Maria Argimon declared to the attendees that "by preventing all cardiovascular risk factors, the incidence will decrease". "What is good for the heart is good for the brain", he added.
During the conference at the Círculo Ecuestre, the expert defended primary care as the first key point for detecting possible cognitive impairment. Argimon also highlighted the work of the Pasqual Maragall Foundation in research, stating that "the challenge is to contribute to alleviating Alzheimer's, and we will achieve this by investing in science."
Furthermore, the member of the Royal Academy of Medicine of Catalonia continued to argue that the Pasqual Maragall Foundation promotes its own research, but also "research outside the foundation". "We do this thanks to the time and altruism of volunteers", adding that the foundation already has "100,000 members and their time dedicated to eradicating Alzheimer's."
At the end of the colloquium at the Círculo Ecuestre, Josep Maria Argimon placed special emphasis on the importance of joint and coordinated work among institutions, research bodies, and healthcare centers, among other key stakeholders, in eradicating Alzheimer's.
The conference at the Barcelona institution concluded with a special emphasis on the importance of prevention, highlighting the foundation's motto, "I want to help defeat this disease", and with a question-and-answer session for the doctor from the audience.