Charts Comparing Medications

TREATMENT ARTICLE
Various Pills

Table - Medications to Treat Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias

Note: This brief summary does not include all information important for patient use and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. Consult the prescribing doctor and read the package insert before using these or any other medications or supplements. Drugs are listed in alphabetical order.

TECHNICAL FACTS

BRAND
NAME

GENERIC
(Int'l) NAME

STAGE OF
ILLNESS

DRUG
TYPE

HOW IT WORKS

LOGO

ARICEPT®
 

 donepezil Mild to moderate & Moderate to severe

Cholinesterase inhibitor

 Prevents the breakdown of acetylcholine in the brain

Aricept Logo

EXELON®

 rivastigmine Mild to moderate

Cholinesterase inhibitor

 Prevents the breakdown of acetylcholine and butyrylcholine (a brain chemical similar to acetylcholine) in the brain

Exelon Patch Logo

NAMENDA®

 memantine Moderate to severe

N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist

 Blocks the toxic effects associated with excess glutamate and regulates glutamate activation

Namenda Logo

RAZADYNE®
 

galantamine
    galanthamine

 Mild to moderate

Cholinesterase inhibitor

 Prevents the breakdown of acetylcholine and stimulates nicotinic receptors to release more acetylcholine in the brain

Razadyne Logo

PRESCRIPTION FACTS

BRAND
NAME

MANUFACTURER’S RECOMMENDED DOSAGE

GENERIC
VERSION?

FORMAT

COMMON SIDE EFFECTS

MORE INFORMATION

ARICEPT®
 
  • Initial dose: 5-mg tablet once a day
  • May increase dose to 10 mg/day after 4-6 weeks if well tolerated
 No

Tablet

 Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

Visit www.fda.gov/cder. Click on “Drugs@FDA,” search for ARICEPT®, and click on drug-name links to see “Label Information.

EXELON®
  • Capsule: Initial dose of 3 mg/day (1.5 mg twice a day)
  • May increase dose to 6 mg/day (3 mg twice a day), 9 mg (4.5 mg twice a day), and 12 mg/day (6 mg twice a day) at minimum 2-week intervals if well tolerated
  • Patch: Initial dose of 4.6 mg once a day; may increase to 9.5 mg once a day after minimum of 4 weeks if well tolerated
  • Also available as oral solution; same dosage as capsule
 No

Capsule

Patch

Oral Solution

 Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, loss of appetite, muscle weakness

Visit www.fda.gov/cder. Click on “Drugs@FDA,” search for EXELON®, and click on drug-name links to see “Label Information.”

NAMENDA®
  • Initial dose: 5-mg tablet once a day
  • May increase dose to 10 mg/day (5 mg twice a day), 15 mg/day (5 mg and 10 mg as separate doses), and 20 mg/day (10 mg twice a day) at minimum 1-week intervals if well tolerated
  • Also available as oral solution; same dosage as above
 No

Tablet

Oral Solution

 Dizziness, headache, constipation, confusion

Visit www.namenda.com. Click on “Prescribing Information” to see the drug label.

RAZADYNE®
 
  • Tablet: Initial dose of 8 mg/day (4 mg twice a day)
  • May increase dose to 16 mg/day (8 mg twice a day) and 24 mg/day (12 mg twice a day) at minimum 4-week intervals if well tolerated
  • Extended-release capsule: Same dosage as above but taken once a day
  • Also available as oral solution; same dosage as above
 Yes

Tablet

Once-A-Day Extended Release Capsule

Oral Solutionr

 Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, loss of appetite

Visit www.razadyneer.com. Click on “Important Safety Information” to see links to prescribing information.

 

More info on this article

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More Information

Source:

Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center
A Service of the National Institute on Aging
National Institutes of Health
    U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Various Pills
(Article thumbnail)
Published:
Most Recently Updated On:
July 10, 2011
First published on:
Week of July 31 - August 7, 2010
Edited By:
Peter Berger, Editor, Alzheimer's Weekly
Medical accuracy review by:
Dr. Boaz Ancselovic, MD, Geriatrician, Alzheimer's Weekly.
Permalink:
http://alzheimersweekly.com/node/714
Copyright:
© Copyright 2010, Alzheimer's Weekly LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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