What is memantine for dementia?
What is memantine for dementia?
Memantine is used to treat the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease (AD; a brain disease that slowly destroys the memory and the ability to think, learn, communicate and handle daily activities). Memantine is in a class of medications called NMDA receptor antagonists. It works by decreasing abnormal activity in the brain.
What is the side effect of memantine?
SIDE EFFECTS: Body aches, dizziness, constipation, and headache may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.
Does donepezil work for dementia?
Donepezil is a medicine that helps with some types of dementia. It does not cure dementia. However, it treats some of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease or dementia with Lewy bodies. It can also help with “mixed dementia”.
Who should not take memantine?
Memantine hydrochloride is not recommended for children and adolescents under the age of 18 years. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines.
What is the success rate of memantine?
Of the 318 patients randomized to and treated with memantine, 85% completed the study, compared with 91% of the 152 patients randomized to the placebo group.
How does memantine make you feel?
Why it’s used. Memantine oral tablet is used to treat moderate to severe dementia in adults with Alzheimer’s disease. It helps reduce dementia symptoms, but it doesn’t cure or slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
Is there a link between metformin and dementia?
Older people taking metformin, the first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes, show significantly lower rates of dementia and cognitive decline compared to those with diabetes not receiving the drug, with the former having dementia rates that are, in fact, similar to people without diabetes, new research shows.
What is the best medication for sundowning?
Hypnotics, benzodiazepines, and low-potency antipsychotics are among conventional therapy that used to manage evening agitation and behavioral disruptions associated with sundowning.
Are there any medications that are approved for dementia?
In fact, no medication is FDA-approved for the treatment of these types of behaviors in Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. (For more on the drugs that are FDA-approved to treat the cognitive symptoms of dementia, see here: 4 Medications to Treat Alzheimer’s & Other Dementias: How They Work & FAQs.)
How to avoid side effects of dementia medications?
Start at a low dose and then increase slowly based on the patient’s response in order to maximize benefits and minimize side effects. Avoid medications that may worsen memory and thinking or increase confusion, since people with cognitive problems may be particularly sensitive to the effects of certain medications.
Are there any medications for insomnia in Alzheimers patients?
At this time, the FDA has approved one drug to address insomnia in people living with dementia, but trials into drugs that address other non-cognitive symptoms are underway. Suvorexant (Belsomra®): approved for mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease.
Which is the best medication for Lewy body dementia?
If there have been visual hallucinations or other signs of possible Lewy-Body dementia, quetiapine is usually the safest first choice. For all medications for dementia behaviors: Monitor carefully for evidence of improvement and for signs of side-effects. Doses should be increased a little bit at a time.
