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» Medications » Medications Prescribed for Alzheimer's
Medications Prescribed for Alzheimer's
More than 4 million older Americans have Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. The disease was named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer, a German physician. In 1906, Dr. Alzheimer noticed specific changes in the brain tissue of a woman who had died of an unusual mental illness. He noted abnormal clumps (placques) and tangled bundles of fibers (tangles). Other changes in the brains of people who have Alzheimer’s disease can include a loss of nerve cells in the areas of the brain vital to memory and other mental functions, along with lowered levels of chemicals in the brain that are responsible for carrying complex messages back and forth between nerve cells important to thinking and memory.
At this time, the ultimate goal of medication treatment of Alzheimer’s disease is to reduce or delay the progression of dementia and add quality to the life of the patient. No drug yet offers a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, although extensive research is ongoing.
Over the past two decades, drugs have been developed to improve the mental abilities of those with Alzheimer’s, particularly for those in the initial and middle stages of the disease. Some medications affect the behavioral symptoms, including sleeplessness, wandering, anxiety, and agitation. Antidepressant medications can be beneficial in reducing the depression that is common in those suffering from dementia. Some medications are effective in increasing the levels of acytelcholine in the brain and are prescribed in an attempt to relieve some of the cognitive symptoms, helping to improve memory, attention, and concentration.
Medications Prescribed for Alzheimer's include:
In April, 2000, the FDA approved a new Alzheimer’s drug:
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new drug called Exelon (rivastigmine) for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. Exelon (rivastigmine) is the third medication approved to treat Alzheimer’s and has been shown to be effective in improving the measurements of thinking, daily living activities, and behavior of those suffering from the disease. The medication is part of a class of drugs called cholinesterase inhibitors, which block the breakdown of a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is believed to play an important role in memory and cognition.
The FDA adds that Exelon (rivastigmine) carries a strong warning about a significant risk: It can cause nausea and vomiting serious enough to cause weight loss. In clinical trials, the nausea and weight loss ended once the drug was discontinued.
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