ALS Fact Sheet   ALS is an incurable fatal neuromuscular disease characterized by progressive muscle weakness resulting in paralysis. ALS stands for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. It is also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease and MND, Motor Neurone Disease. The incidence of ALS is about two per 100,000. The prevalence of ALS is about eight per 100,000. In the USA approximately 30,000 people have ALS. There are about 5,000 new cases per year, or 15 per day. Symptoms of ALS include stiffness (spasticity), muscle twitching (fasciculations), muscle shaking (clonus), muscle weakness and muscle shrinking (atrophy). 50% of ALS patients die within 18 months after diagnosis. Only 20% survive 5 years and 10% live longer than 10 years. ALS patients on ventilators may live for many years. ALS occurs in both sexes and all races. Men are much more likely to get ALS than women. Older people are more likely to get ALS than younger people. ALS does not affect the mind or the senses. Bowl and bladder control remains intact as does sexual function. The diagnosis of ALS may take several months because early symptoms may be similar to other neuromuscular diseases. Diagnostic tests include MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), EMG (electromyogram), muscle biopsy, and blood tests. There is only one FDA approved drug, Rilutek, to slow the progression of the disease. There are a number of other medications to help relieve symptoms of ALS. The average age of ALS onset is 55. ALS can affect people at any age, and cases have been found in persons as young as 12 and as old as 98. At least 10% of ALS cases are hereditary. These are called familial ALS. The other 90% of ALS cases have no familial link, and they are called sporadic ALS. The cause of ALS is unknown. Researchers do know that an excess of a neurotransmitter called glutamate clogs the synapses of motor nerve cells preventing transmission of neural impulses to muscles. Many new research studies are focusing on curing ALS. There has been more ALS research in the past five years than in the prior 150 years. Information from the ALS Survival Guide, a website created by PALS Doug Eshleman. www.alssurvivalguide.com