Aricept Medicine Information

It is estimated someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease every 70 seconds. As the disease progresses, it causes memory, thinking and reasoning difficulties. According to the Alzheimer's Association website, this fatal brain disease has 10 warning signs: memory problems that interrupt daily life, difficulty in solving problems or concentrating, challenges in doing "normal" everyday tasks, confusion (as to time or place), difficulty comprehending images, trouble following or joining a conversation, difficulty or inability to retrace steps, changes in decision-making abilities, social withdrawal and personality/mood changes.

How Aricept Works

• Aricept (donepezil) is a medication approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat all stages of Alzheimer's disease. Part of a group of medications known as cholinesterase inhibitors, Aricept helps to enhance memory, language, thought processes and cognitive abilities. It works by increasing your acetylcholine levels. Acetylcholine is released by brain cells and assists in delivering messages to other brain cells. Since Alzheimer's disease destroys or damages the brain cells that create acetylcholine, your brain's ability to carry messages is decreased. Aricept slows the damage to these brain cells.

Dosage/Instructions

• If you have been diagnosed with mild to moderate Alzheimer's, your doctor may prescribe Aricept in either a 5 mg or a 10 mg dose. For those with severe Alzheimer's disease, the 10 mg dosage is recommended. The medication comes in tablet form (to be taken with water) or as a dissolving tablet. If you take the dissolving medication, allow it to fully dissolve on your tongue and then drink water. You can take Aricept with or without food and you should take it in the evening, right before going to bed.

What to Expect while Taking Aricept

• Clinical studies are ongoing and suggest Aricept may indeed slow the progression of the disease, improve cognition and enhance function overall. If you (or a loved one) are taking Aricept, you should be aware that the full effect usually does not take place for several weeks. In some patients, symptoms improve and then begin to decline after a few months. This is likely due to the progression of the disease. Most patients taking Aricept experience an extension in the amount of time they are able to perform activities independently.

Side Effects

• Most patients have few problems when taking Aricept. Common side effects include fainting, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, increased bruising, interrupted sleep, muscle cramping, loss of appetite and lethargy/fatigue. Most side effects were mild and temporary. Some of the more serious side effects include bradycardia (resting heart rate under 60 beats per minute), increased risk of gastrointestinal bleeding, bladder problems, exacerbation of pulmonary conditions and convulsions. Aricept also is likely to increase the effect of anesthesia on certain muscles.

Considerations

• Tell your doctor about any other medications (including over-the-counter medicines, herbal supplements and vitamins) that you are taking, before beginning treatment, to avoid any adverse reactions or unwanted side effects. If you are pregnant, or plan to become pregnant, talk to your doctor before beginning Aricept as it should only be used during pregnancy if the benefits outweigh the risk of fetal harm. There have been no studies on whether the medication can be passed through breast milk, so nursing mothers should not use Aricept.