THE FACTS:
• Was approved for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer’s by the FDA in 1996, and for the treatment of severe Alzheimer’s in 2006
• Was shown in studies to slow the loss of overall function and improve cognition
• Is the #1 prescribed Alzheimer’s drug
• Is part of a class of medicines known as cholinesterase inhibitors
• Comes in 2 strengths, 5-mg and 10-mg. Your health care provider will determine the correct dose for your loved one.
• Is available in tablets and orally-disintegrating tablets (ODT)
• Is well tolerated
Eleven of 648 patients died while taking donepezil (Aricept) in a trial of the drug for the treatment of vascular dementia, according to preliminary study results announced by Eisai Co. Ltd., the drug’s maker. None of the 326 patients taking placebo during the 24-week trial died.
The multicenter, randomized, double-blind study was conducted in nine countries and enrolled only people with vascular dementia (VaD), who had no prior diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Donepezil is approved only for the treatment of mild to moderate AD in the United States.
The above information was obtained from the internet and unfortunately, is unobtainable without paying a fee to the provider. However, a similar article that was published by the New York Times in March of 2006 can be viewed at http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/17/health/17drug.html . For more information on the drug Aricept, click to http://www.drugs.com/aricept.html
DO YOU HAVE ANY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE TO ADD IN REFERENCE TO USING THIS DRUG? LET US KNOW.
Tags: Aricept, eisai, donepezil,
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