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Alzheimer's Disease Treatments
Alzheimer's Disease is a slow disease, starting with mild memory problems and
ending with severe brain damage. The course the disease takes and how fast
changes occur vary from person to person. On average, Alzheimer's Disease
patients live from 8 to 10 years after they are diagnosed, though some people
may live with Alzheimer's Disease for as many as 20 years.
No treatment can stop Alzheimer's Disease. However, for some people in the
early and middle stages of the disease, the drugs tacrine (Cognex), donepezil (Aricept),
rivastigmine (Exelon), or galantamine (Razadyne, previously known as Reminyl)
may help prevent some symptoms from becoming worse for a limited time. Another
drug, memantine (Namenda), has been approved to treat moderate to severe
Alzheimer's Disease, although it also is limited in its effects. Also, some
medicines may help control behavioral symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease such as
sleeplessness, agitation, wandering, anxiety, and depression. Treating these
symptoms often makes patients more comfortable and makes their care easier for
caregivers.
More information about the drugs used to treat Alzheimer's disease
- Aricept. Aricept is the most widely used drug for Alzheimer's
disease. Aricept works by slowing down the breakdown of acetylcholine, a
chemical that helps nerve cells in the brain communicate with each other.
Aricept doesn't cure Alzheimer's or keep it from getting worse, but it can
help relieve some of the memory loss. Aricept is most effective when given
in the earlier stages of Alzheimer's disease. Side effects are usually mild
and include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, fatigue, insomnia, and weight loss.
- Exelon and Reminyl. These newer drugs also work by inhibiting the
breakdown of acetylcholine. They are most effective when given in the
earlier stages of Alzheimer's disease. They also have side effects similar
to Aricept. In April 2005,
Reminyl’s
label was changed to include information about the deaths of 13 elderly
patients who were taking the drug during a study. The deaths were due to
various causes, including heart attack and stroke.
- Namenda. Namenda is prescribed to treat moderate-to-severe
Alzheimer's. Namenda works by a different mechanism than other Alzheimer's
treatments; it is thought to play a protective role in the brain by
regulating a chemical messenger called glutamate. Glutamate plays a role in
learning and memory by acting as a kind of "gatekeeper" of some of the
brain's other chemicals -- allowing certain amounts of these other chemicals
(such as calcium, which is required for information storage) to enter the
brain's nerve cells.People with Alzheimer's brain cells fire off too much
glutamate. Namenda helps regulate glutamate activity. That, in turn, can
improve the brain's ability to process information and retrieve memories. It
is the first drug to be approved for this stage of the disease; other
Alzheimer's drugs are indicated for mild-to-moderate symptoms. Namenda may
have increased benefit when used with Aricept, Exelon, Reminyl, or Cognex.
Side effects of Namenda include tiredness, dizziness, confusion, and
headache.
- Cognex. Cognex also works by slowing the breakdown of
acetylcholine. Side effects of the drug include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea,
abdominal pain, skin rash, and indigestion. In addition, tacrine can damage
the liver, so your doctor will need to perform tests regularly to make sure
this isn't happening. Because of these side effects, this drug is
infrequently prescribed.
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