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What Are the Benefits of Aricept?

Aricept is a brand name for the prescription medication donepezil hydrochloride. Doctors prescribe Aricept for the treatment of disorders that affect the brain.

  1. Function

    • Aricept increases levels of a brain chemical known as acetylcholine by inhibiting the actions of a substance that causes the breakdown of the chemical in the brain.

    Uses

    • Because dementia related to Alzheimer's is believed to be partially caused by a deficiency of acetylcholine, Aricept is used for the treatment of Alzheimer's.

    Expert Insight

    • In U.S. Food and Drug Administration clinical trials, patients who took Aricept experienced a slower decline in brain function than did patients who were not treated with the drug. Thus, Aricept is not a cure for Alzheimer's but rather a method of decreasing the pace of degeneration associated with the disease.

    Considerations

    • Aricept is most effective when taken for mild to moderate Alzheimer's, though the drug can be used to treat the disease at any stage in its progression.

    Warning

    • If you have a history of asthma, lung disease, peptic ulcers, seizures, urinary tract blockages or kidney or liver disease, it may not be safe for you to take Aricept.

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