The Diagnosis and Treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Abstract

All physicians and health care workers who treat patients with chronic neuromuscular weakness will find this textbook useful. Written as an out-growth of a symposium held in 1979 in Tucson, Ariz, this multiauthored monograph addresses a wide variety of management problems encountered in treating progressive disorders of anterior horn cells. Careful consideration is given to nutritional management, respiration dysfunction, progressive dysphagia, dysphonia, and the role of exercise. Rehabilitative goals emphasize the value of maintaining patient autonomy using adaptive equipment and flexible home care alternatives. Practical discussions by conference participants are included at the end of each chapter. Although occasionally repetitious, they provide further detail for the interested reader. Additional chapters adequately describe the clinical features, diagnostic tests, and current research in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The greatest value of this textbook, however, is its emphasis on currently available supportive therapy. Although the cause and cure of motor neuron disease has