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A look at prescription drug therapies for Alzheimer's including aricept, exelon, reminyl and razadyne.

Tips for Alzheimers Caregivers - Prescription Drug Therapies for Alzheimer's

Does spending time with your loved one mean everything to you? If your loved one has Alzheimer's, there are medications that may help. The goal is to help control the symptoms that affect memory and thinking. With these prescription medicines, symptoms may improve, stay the same or decline. Treatment can also help if the person is depressed, anxious, or restless; wanders; or has difficulty sleeping. The health care provider may prescribe medicine and suggest other changes to help control these symptoms. In my dad's case, some of these medications prescribed for him helped me in keeping my sanity caring for alzheimers.

Medicines, vitamins, and other forms of treatment are being studied to see whether they may help people with Alzheimer's disease.

The best way to develop a treatment plan is for the health care provider, the person with Alzheimer's disease, and the family to work together.

It is very important for Alzheimer's disease to be treated. Alzheimer's disease worsens over time. Although current treatments do not cure or stop the disease, they may help maintain or even improve memory, thinking, behavior, and ability to do daily tasks. These symptoms may also stay the same or decline. They can make the person more comfortable and can also help make life easier for family and caregivers.

  • To help a person with Alzheimer's disease stay physically healthy, it is important to make sure that he or she:
  • Takes all medicines as directed, including those prescribed for medical conditions other than Alzheimer's disease
  • Gets regular medical checkups
  • Eats a balanced diet
  • Gets some physical activity every day
  • Rests when tired
  • Drinks fewer alcoholic beverages, if he or she drinks are

Aricept

Does spending time with your loved one mean everything to you? If your loved one has Alzheimer's, Aricept® (donepezil HCl tablets) may help. Among available treatments, Aricept is the only one approved for all stages of Alzheimer's disease. It can help in the mild, moderate, and severe stages.

Aricept: Was approved for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer's by the FDA in 1996, and for the treatment of severe Alzheimer's in 2006. It was shown in studies to help cognition and function, which includes effects on memory and performing everyday tasks.

More than 3.8 million people have been treated with Aricept and is part of a class of medicines known as cholinesterase inhibitors. The prescription drug comes in 2 strengths, your health care provider will determine the correct dose for your loved one.

Is available in tablets and orally-disintegrating tablets (ODT)
Is well tolerated
Ask your doctor if Aricept is right for your loved one

Exelon or Rivastigmine Tartrate

Exelon is an effective medicine used to treat the symptoms of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. It provides hope for people in the early or middle stages of the disease - hope that they may be able to remain active and involved in their daily activities longer than they would without treatment.

Exelon is a cholinesterase (COLE-in-NEST-er-aze) inhibitor, a type of medicine prescribed for people in the early or middle stages of Alzheimer's disease.

Though not a cure, Exelon has been shown to be an effective medicine for treating the symptoms of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. Exelon provides hope for people with Alzheimer's disease and the people who care for them. It can slow the progression of symptoms and help people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease stay connected longer to the relationships and activities they value and enjoy.

IMPORTANT: EXELON use is associated with significant stomach-related side effects, including nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and weight loss. If therapy is interrupted for longer than several days, treatment should be reinitiated with the lowest daily dose in order to avoid the possibility of severe vomiting and its potentially serious consequences. In clinical studies, stomach-related side effects occurred more frequently as doses were increased. The weight loss associated with EXELON occurred more commonly among women receiving high doses in clinical studies. Because these side effects can be serious, caregivers should be encouraged to monitor for these adverse events and inform the physician if they occur. People at risk for certain heart conditions or stomach ulcers should notify their doctor before starting EXELON therapy. In clinical studies, some patients also experienced fainting, weakness, and upset stomach.

Reminyl or Razadyne ER

When someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD), it means that his or her brain is not transmitting messages as effectively as it used to. Experts believe that one reason for this is a reduced supply of a chemical called acetylcholine (ACh). This chemical helps nerves send messages through the brain. The damage caused by AD prevents ACh from doing its job, which can affect memory and brain function.

RAZADYNE ER is in a class of drugs called acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. Taken only once a day, the extended-release capsule is absorbed into the body consistently over a 24-hour period. Experts believe that RAZADYNE ER may block an enzyme that breaks down ACh in the brain, thereby making more ACh available. This helps the brain to preserve its cognitive functions (ie, memory).

Alzheimer's disease impacts not only the person who has it, but also that person's care partners and family members. Decisions will need to be made about driving, living alone, managing finances, and long-term care. A health care provider can offer advice on dealing with these issues. Do not hesitate to reach out to a health care provider for support and guidance.