Donepezil (also known as Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon) and galantamine (Reminyl) are used to treat the symptoms of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. Donepezil is also used to treat more severe Alzheimer's disease.
The Top Dementia Medications
Sold under the brand name Aricept, this medication is a cholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor prescribed to help those diagnosed with mild, moderate, and severe Alzheimer's disease.
Cholinisterase Inhibitors are the most commonly prescribed medications for dementia. There are 3 cholinisterase inhibitors, which include, Donepezil, Galantamine and Rivastigmine.
Lecanemab, the new treatment for Alzheimer's disease, has been a big news story recently and in this article, we take a closer look at what it is, if it works and what the big deal is. Lecanemab is a disease modifying treatment for people living with the early stages of Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment.
Lecanemab was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a treatment for early Alzheimer's disease in January 2023. This means that it can now be given to patients with early Alzheimer's disease in the USA.
Galantamine, rivastigmine, and donepezil are cholinesterase inhibitors that are prescribed for mild to moderate Alzheimer's symptoms. These drugs may help reduce or control some cognitive and behavioral symptoms.
It is recommended that people with Alzheimer's should NOT take anticholinergic drugs. These drugs are used to treat many medical problems such as sleeping problems, stomach cramps, incontinence, asthma, motion sickness, and muscle spasms. Side effects, such as confusion, can be serious for a person with Alzheimer's.
Memantine for later stages
Memantine (Namenda) is approved by the FDA for treatment of moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease. It works by regulating the activity of glutamate, a messenger chemical widely involved in brain functions — including learning and memory.
Administration: The examiner reads a list of 5 words at a rate of one per second, giving the following instructions: “This is a memory test. I am going to read a list of words that you will have to remember now and later on. Listen carefully. When I am through, tell me as many words as you can remember.
The Mini-Cog test.
A third test, known as the Mini-Cog, takes 2 to 4 minutes to administer and involves asking patients to recall three words after drawing a picture of a clock. If a patient shows no difficulties recalling the words, it is inferred that he or she does not have dementia.
Over time, the disease causing the dementia spreads to other parts of the brain. This leads to more symptoms because more of the brain is unable to work properly. At the same time, already-damaged areas of the brain become even more affected, causing symptoms the person already has to get worse.
Several large studies and reviews found that alcohol use disorders were linked to an increased risk of dementia, particularly early-onset dementia. Cardiovascular risk factors. These include high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol, buildup of fats in your artery walls (atherosclerosis) and obesity.
Cholinesterase inhibitors are the first choice of treatment for memory loss. The doctor may also prescribe the single-dose drug combination Namzeric to treat moderate to severe memory loss.
There is currently no "cure" for dementia. In fact, because dementia is caused by different diseases it is unlikely that there will be a single cure for dementia.
Lilly's Donanemab Significantly Slowed Cognitive and Functional Decline in Phase 3 Study of Early Alzheimer's Disease.
Leqembi's annual price tag of $26,500 is below the price set for Aduhelm — which was approved by the FDA in 2021 despite strong objections from its panel of outside advisers. That drug initially cost $56,000 per year before Biogen slashed the price in half, to $28,000 annually.
The five-minute cognitive test (FCT) was designed to capture deficits in five domains of cognitive abilities, including episodic memory, language fluency, time orientation, visuospatial function, and executive function.
This test consists of 15 words, which have to be learned during five trials. After every trial the respondent is asked to recall as many words as possible. After a distraction period of 20 minutes, the respondent is asked to name the words they have learned before, again.
The main sign of mild cognitive impairment is a slight decline in mental abilities. Examples include: Memory loss: You may forget recent events or repeat the same questions and stories. You may occasionally forget the names of friends and family members or forget appointments or planned events.