Overview

• Primary‑care time pressure and limited Alzheimer’s‑specific training are cited as barriers to early identification, according to new analyses shared for World Alzheimer’s Day.
• In Euskadi, patients with suspected Alzheimer’s wait about six months for referral from primary care and roughly another six months to see a hospital specialist.
• Only about half of primary‑care clinicians report knowing the referral protocol, with shortages of geriatricians and weak coordination further slowing diagnosis.
• Experts call for targeted screening that includes emerging blood‑based biomarkers, coupled with upgraded training and streamlined referral pathways.
• Specialists highlight that up to half of cases are linked to modifiable risks, noting estimates such as a 5% lower risk with higher education, small increases tied to depression and head injury, and smoking associated with up to a 50% higher risk.