CLINICAL CARE GUIDE

ALS SOCIETY OF CANADA RELEASES CLINCAL CARE GUIDE FOR GENERAL PRACTITIONERS

TORONTO, December 6, 2005: The ALS Society of Canada is pleased to introduce - A Guide to ALS Care for the Primary Care Physician. The purpose of the newly published electronic guide, available on CD-ROM and as a PDF document on www.als.ca, is to inform primary care providers about ALS and how to recognize and manage the symptoms to promote timely diagnosis, intervention, and optimal quality of life throughout the continuum of care.

“The Guide was designed for physicians who care for patients with ALS, but who aren’t all that familiar with the disease. It doesn’t replace consultations with ALS specialists, but it’s an excellent user-friendly, quick clinical reference guide that will help answer many questions about ALS care,” says Jane McCarthy, director of services and education, for the ALS Society of Canada.

The guide contains numerous sections on major symptoms and clinical management issues that can arise in people living with ALS from the point of diagnosis to the end-of-life stage. The guide also contains background information on ALS, research theories, specialized equipment for activities of daily living, recommended additional reading, internet resources, and contact information for the ALS Canada, its provincial affiliates, and ALS clinics and rehabilitation centres throughout Canada.

ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a rapidly progressive and fatal neuromuscular disorder that causes the degeneration of a select group of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. As the nerve cells die, people with ALS lose control of their muscles, which makes breathing, eating and even smiling almost impossible. Ninety per cent of those who get ALS will die within two to five years. Up to 10 per cent can live 10 years or more. ALS is not considered a rare disease. Approximately 3,000 Canadians currently live with ALS. And, two to three Canadians die of ALS each day.

Founded in 1977 as a national voluntary organization, the ALS Society of Canada funds research towards a cure for ALS, supports provincial ALS Societies in their provision of quality care for persons living with ALS and provides information to build awareness about the disease. Additional information about the ALS Society of Canada is available at http://www.als.ca/

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For more information:

Bobbi Greenberg, Director of Communications, 416-497-5509 ext. 208 or

Jane McCarthy, Director of Services and Education, 416-497-5509 ext. 230

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