Treatment of Alzheimer ’ s Disease

There is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease and no way to slow the progression of the disease. For some people in the early or middle stages of Alzheimer’s disease, medication such as tacrine (Cognex) may alleviate some cognitive symptoms. Donepezil (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon), and galantamine (Reminyl) may keep some symptoms from becoming worse for a limited time. A fifth drug, memantine (Namenda), has also been approved for use in the United States. Combining memantine with other Alzheimer’s disease drugs may be more effective than any single therapy. One controlled clinical trial found that patients receiving donepezil plus memantine had better cognition and other functions than patients receiving donepezil alone. Also, other medications may help control behavioral symptoms such as sleeplessness, agitation, wandering, anxiety, and depression. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disease, but its course can vary from 5 to 20 years. The most common cause of death in Alzheimer’s patients is infection. Treatment for Mild to Moderate Alzheimer’s disease Four of these medications are called cholinesterase inhibitors. These drugs are prescribed for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. They may help delay or prevent symptoms from becoming worse for a limited time and may help control some behavioral symptoms. The medications are: Reminyl (galantamine), Exelon (rivastigmine), Aricept (donepezil), and Cognex (tacrine). ...
Source: Psych Central - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Alzheimer's Medications Memory and Perception Alzheimer's treatment Cognex donepezil Drug Exelon galanta Namenda Reminyl rivastigmine tacrine treatment of alzheimers Source Type: news