Pros & Cons of Aricept

Aricept is the trade name for donepezil, a cholinesterase inhibitor (ChEI) commonly used to treat Alzheimer 's disease. Multiple studies have found Aricept to be an effective treatment for Alzheimer's, but new research indicates that it may be beneficial to people with other diseases and conditions as well. However, as with most medicines, taking Aricept may increase certain health risks or cause negative side effects.

Treating Alzheimer's

• Currently, Aricept is prescribed and approved for people with Alzheimer's more than any other condition. According to the book "The Alzheimer's Action Plan," Aricept is the only ChEI out of the four on the market that is effective during all three stages of the disease. Studies have indicated that this group of drugs as a whole can allow Alzheimer's patients to decline more slowly than they would otherwise. Aricept may also inhibit the amount of lost brain volume normally caused by Alzheimer's.

Other Types of Dementia

• Aricept is only indicated for Alzheimer's disease but is often prescribed off-label for other types of dementia. The National Institutes for Health found in one major study that Aricept can delay dementia for up to 18 months in patients with mild cognitive impairment. Patients with vascular and Lewy body dementias have also seen improvement with Aricept.

Autism and ADHD

• Research on the effects of Aricept on autistic children with speech disabilities has had promising results. In a double-blind study on mild to moderately disabled autistic children, the group that took Aricept showed significant improvements in verbal comprehension and expressive speech over the placebo group.

  Aricept may also help people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. According to the Doctor's Guide, one study showed that adding Aricept doses to existing regimens of ADHD medications caused a 25 percent improvement in both "executive function" and attention, with no serious negative side effects,

Side Effects

• Some of Aricept's common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, sleep problems, bruising, fainting, decreased appetite and fatigue. Aricept might also be more likely to cause mild sleep problems such as vivid dreams and nocturnal illusions than similar drugs like Exelon and Razadyne, according to the "Alzheimer's Action Plan." Serious side effects are rare, and most mild ones disappear after the first few days, but some people may find them too disruptive or uncomfortable to continue use.

Other Risks

• ChEIs like Aricept can make stomach ulcers worse, especially if combined with anti-inflammatory pain drugs, increase seizure risk and cause small or blocked heart rhythms. Aricept may also work much better for some people than for others, and valuable time that could be spent trying another drug is wasted if the patient continues taking Aricept even though it doesn't help. If there are improvements, consistent ChEI treatment is crucial---if discontinued for just a few weeks, Aricept and other ChEIs may be much less effective once the patient resumes taking them.