While
no cure or totally effective medication has yet been created, there are a
number of memory loss medications that are FDA approved and on the market at
this time. These medications simply help manage the symptoms and in some cases
slow down the rate of progression of the disease. (alzheimers.ie) However, these medications can be unpopular
because of their unpleasant side effects which can be particularly tough on
older people with the disease.
Current medications on the market in the United States of America:
Generic
name
Brand
name
Approved
for
Donepezil
Aricept
All stages
Galantamine
Razadyne
Mild to moderate
Revastigmine
Exelon
Mild to moderate
Memantine
Namenda
Moderate to severe
Donepezil + Memantine
Namzaric
Moderate to severe
The first three drugs on this list,
Donepezil, Galantamine and Revastigmine are all from a class of drugs which are
called acetylcholinesterase inhibitor.
Cholinesterase inhibitors are drugs that stop or impede
enzymes from breaking down acetylcholine when it is transported from one cell
to another. This means that the acetylcholine, which is in short supply in
people with Alzheimer’s disease, is not destroyed so quickly and there is more
chance of it being passed on to the next nerve cell. Cholinesterase inhibitors
result in higher concentrations of acetylcholine, leading to increased
communication between nerve cells, which in turn, may temporarily improve or
stabilise the symptoms of dementia. The use of cholinesterase inhibitors is
only one possible pharmaceutical approach to treating the symptoms of
Alzheimer’s disease. Other neurotransmitters are involved and may also be
important. (dementia australia, 2006)
Bibliography
alzheimers.ie.
(n.d.). Treating dementia. Retrieved from alzheimers.ie:
https://www.alzheimer.ie/Living-with-dementia/I-have-Dementia/Treatments.aspx
dementia
australia. (2006). Drug treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. Retrieved
from
https://www.dementia.org.au/files/helpsheets/Helpsheet-DementiaQandA01-CholinesteraseInhibitors_english.pdf
