Amyotropic lateral syndrome

• Other name for ALS

  Lou gehrigs disease
• characterized by

  muscle weakness and atrophy
• Atrophy means

  loss of tone of muscle
• What is ALS

  progressive rare incurable degenerative
• involving what

  motor system
• upper and lower extremities paralysis

  tetraplegia
• what causes ALS ?

  excess of glutamate
• gradual detouriation of upper and lower motor neuron can cause

  loss of voluntary movement and muscle control breath speak eat move
• symptoms

  muscle weakness atrophy cramps twitching dysphagia respiratory paralysis
• medication

  no cure but riluzole to slow detoriation
• nursing care

  maintain patent airway prevent pneumonia respiratory failure