|
By Kevin
Furmaga, PharmD, BCPP
Generic
Name
|
Brand
Name |
Most Common Side Effects |
Starting
Dose |
Maximum Dose |
| Cholinesterase Inhibitors1 |
| Donepizil |
Aricept® |
Diarrhea
Nausea
Loss of appetite
Muscle cramps
Insomnia
Fatigue
Weight loss
Dizziness
Headache |
5 mg at bedtime |
10 mg at bedtime |
| Galantamine |
Razadyne®4 |
4 mg twice daily with food |
12 mg twice daily with food |
| Razadyne ER® |
8 mg each morning with food |
24 mg each morning with food |
| Rivastigmine |
Exelon® |
1.5 mg twice daily with food |
6 mg twice daily with food |
| Tacrine2 |
Cognex® |
10 mg four times daily |
40 mg four times daily |
| NMDA Antagonist3 |
| Memantine |
Namenda® |
Hypertension
Constipation
Dizziness
Headache |
5 mg once daily |
10 mg twice daily |
|
1 Cholinesterase inhibitors increase the level of a brain chemical called
acetylcholine by preventing its breakdown. People with Alzheimer’s
disease and related conditions have decreased levels of this neurotransmitter.
Increasing the
amount of acetylcholine appears to slow mental decline in people with
Alzheimer’s
disease.
2 Liver function monitoring required due to risk of liver toxicity.
3 The
release of the brain chemical, glutamate, is abnormally increased in
Alzheimer’s
disease and leads to nerve cell death. Memantine reduces this nerve cell
death by preventing glutamate from binding to NMDA (n Methyl-Daspartate)
brain receptors.
4 Formerly marketed under the brand name Reminyl®.
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TODAY: Living with Dementia
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