Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is so expensive that it has a Macroeconomic impact.
Many conditions can cause loss of mental acuity in the elderly.
A quick test to rule out AD can help direct the PCP to investigate alternative diagnoses. That can help many people and save a lot of money and suffering.
https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/aaic/122227?
Alzheimer’s Blood Tests Help Primary Care Doctors Make Better Diagnoses
— Physicians changed diagnosis in 30% of patients after seeing blood test results
by Judy George, Deputy Managing Editor, MedPage Today, July 16, 2026
Blood test results helped primary care physicians diagnose Alzheimer’s disease with nearly the same accuracy as specialists, a study of Swedish patients with cognitive impairment showed.
Primary care physicians changed their diagnosis in 30% of patients after they reviewed blood test results…
Diagnostic accuracy rose from 62% to 88%, giving primary care physicians similar negative predictive values as dementia experts for ruling out Alzheimer’s disease…
Test results changed clinical management for 62.8% of patients. This included specialist referrals, additional exams, and starting or stopping medications…
Blood samples were analyzed prospectively using the PrecivityAD2 algorithm, which uses mass spectrometry to measure two biomarkers – the amyloid-beta 42/40 ratio and the percentage of phosphorylated tau 217 – in plasma… [end quote]
It’s really amazing that test results changed clinical management for 62.8% of patients. That’s a huge impact.
At this point, any person suffering cognitive impairment should get the blood test as early as possible. Even though AD itself can’t be treated effectively, the test can rule out AD in many cases so the actual root cause can be found and treated.
Wendy