About Memory Medication for Alzheimer's Patients

There is nothing more disconcerting than watching your parents' ability to function deteriorate in front of your eyes. These are the people who wiped your tears and kept you safe; now, they cannot remember your child's name or how to balance a checkbook. The frustration grows each day as the disease slowly steals their minds and their ability to cope with daily activities. Fortunately, research has resulted in medication to slow the progression of the disease, so your parents can stay in their home longer and function better.

History

Alzheimer's was named after Alois Alzhemier, a German physician who in 1906 discovered deposits of plaque outside and around the nerve cells of the brain. After a woman died who had suffered severe memory loss, the doctor performed an autopsy on her that led to new discoveries. He not only found plaque deposits but discovered twisted bands of fibers inside the nerve cells.

Today, scientists continue to discover more about this degenerative brain disorder. Early-onset Alzheimer's is sometimes linked to genetic factors. Late-onset Alzheimer's, which usually begins after the ages of 65 to 70, shows no inheritance connection.

Drugs to enhance cognitive skills are continuously being introduced. In 1993, the FDA approved Cognex, the first medication for Alzheimer's. In 1996, Aricept became available and was widely used. Exelon and Razadyne were added in 2000 and 2001. In 2003, Namenda was approved to treat moderate to severe Alzheimer's, and the Exelon patch was approved in 2007.

Identification

Alzheimer's is a disease that begins slowly, so it is not easily recognizable at first. A loss of short-term memory is usually the first symptom. Patients have a difficult time remembering new information, and may ask the same question two to three times within less than an hour. Doing simple tasks become confusing, and the patient slowly loses the ability to make judgments and use reasoning skills. His language may become impaired, and ultimately his speech may not make sense. A patient becomes disoriented, and may even get lost in locations that have been familiar in the past. Time proves confusing. Some patients do not recognize the month or season, and may not know their own age. Depression may set in; as the disease progresses, agitation and extreme anxiety can occur.

Prevention/Solution

The FDA has approved five medications to treat Alzheimer's. None of these medications can stop the disease from progressing, but they can slow the deterioration and help lessen the symptoms associated with the disease. For mild to moderate Alzheimer's, four drugs are approved. Razadyne, Exelon, Aricept and Cognex are all cholinesterase inhibitors. They can delay the symptoms and may prevent them from becoming worse. These drugs stop the breakdown of acetylcholine, a brain chemical which is thought to affect memory and thinking. Each drug works in a similar way, though some patients may tolerate one more than another. The FDA has also approved Aricept for severe Alzheimer's, and Namenda is also used in these cases. It controls the glutamate, a brain chemical that can kill off brain cells. Because Namenda has a different function, doctors may prescribe Aricept with it.

Warning

Although the FDA has approved the five aforementioned medications for the different stages of Alzheimer's, they have some mild side effects. The cholinesterase inhibitors used for mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's have few such side effects when properly introduced to the patient's system, but common ones are nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, indigestion, abdominal pain and loss of appetite. Doctors prescribe low dosages of the medicine and slowly increase the dosage until reaching an optimal level. This way, side effects tend to be mild and disappear in a few weeks. Namenda, the medicine used for severe Alzheimer's, is easy to administer and has few side effects, though some patients may experience dizziness, headaches, constipation and slight confusion when first starting the medication. There is little drug interaction with Namenda, which is a good thing, since the elderly usually take a number of different medications.

Benefits

The benefits of medication--to both the Alzheimer's patient and the caregiver--are apparent. Because cholinesterase inhibitors prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine, patients are able to function for a longer period of time. Acetylcholine is a brain chemical that is beneficial to memory and thinking. As Alzheimer's progresses, less of this chemical is produced. he medication will help in the mild to moderate stages of Alzheimer's, allowing patients to enjoy more everyday activities with less anxiety. The patient can have a better quality of life, thus easing the stress on the caregiver who must deal with the patient's day-to-day changes. Namenda also delays the progression of the disease. Patients can keep up their daily hygiene longer, which also aids the caregiver.

Resources

• Medication Fact Sheet
• Alzheimer's History