What U.S. veterans with ALS deserve to know

KevinMD October 4, 2024
Sumeet Dhillon and Jennifer Cesolini

When considering the diseases that United States veterans are burdened with, you might think of COPD, Type 2 Diabetes, certain cancers, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression. However, there is another disease diagnosed at twice the rate in veterans compared to the general population: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ALS is one of the only diseases known to occur at an increased rate in all veterans, regardless of when or how long they served. Additionally, the mortality rate from ALS is greater among U.S. men with a history of military service. Unfortunately, ALS is hard to diagnose, which results in delays in care. This association between military service and ALS is only just starting to be recognized by physicians and patients alike....

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