Many FDA approved drugs that can play a role in the best medication for Alzheimer’s treatment for people with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.
Table of Contents
Alzheimer’s Treatment
Alzheimer’s illness is an incremental degeneration of the brain’s cognitive function. The symptoms could be anything from memory loss, inability to remember or retain newly learned information, degraded judgment, disorientation as to time and place, problems in handling simple tasks, and problems with language, to even behavioural and personality changes.
Though much research is currently being conducted to gain a deeper insight into the illness, there is still no cure for it. There are, regardless, Alzheimer’s treatments that have the potential to alter the path of the disease and improve the quality of life for those who are affected.
Below are some of the Alzheimer’s treatment options you have:
Standard Prescriptions for Alzheimer’s treatment
Affected persons usually resort to medications as an Alzheimer’s treatment. To understand how these medications work you first have to understand how Alzheimer’s kills some of the brain cells of an affected person. The symptoms of Alzheimer’s appear when brain cells die and their connections with each other are disrupted. Precisely why this occurs, medical science has yet to find out, but it seems that certain conditions cause the degeneration of acetylcholine, an essential brain chemical that aids in memory and thinking.
Many of the Alzheimer’s treatment medications currently prescribed by doctors today help prevent the breakdown of this brain chemical. They are called cholinesterase inhibitors and among them are rivastigmine and donepezil. Memantine is another Alzheimer’s treatment that is categorised as an uncompetitive low to moderate affinity N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, especially preventing symptoms of moderate to severe Alzheimer’s illness.
FDA Approved Drugs for Alzheimer’s Treatment
The main aim of these Alzheimer’s drugs is to try and improve cognitive ability or the person’s capability to think, perceive, judge and recognize.
There are currently five drugs authorised by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that can be used to treat Alzheimer’s. There is ongoing research done all the time to test the significance of such drugs since they do not serve as a cure-all for the illness.
These drugs may not have the same effects on all patients that are suffering from Alzheimer’s. But such prescription drugs can have substantial effects on some patients with Alzheimer’s disease and should be given consideration as a possible treatment.
The 5 FDA Approved Medications are:
- Aricept
- Cognex
- Exelon
- Razadyne
- Namenda
The first four drugs listed above belong to a class of drugs known as Cholinesterase Inhibitors. They work by trying to slow the breakdown of a substance known as acetylcholine in the brain which helps in bridging communication between nerve cells and has an important role in a person’s memory.
Namenda on the other hand works on another neurotransmitter called glutamate and shields the brain from the said substance which contributes to the death of brain cells in somebody with Alzheimer’s disease. This medication is more effective in treating moderate to severe forms of Alzheimer’s disease, improving the day to day life of the individual with Alzheimer’s disease.
The most common side effects of the drug Namenda can be dizziness, confusion, constipation, headache and skin rashes. Some of them may experience less common side effects such as tiredness, back pain, high blood pressure, insomnia, hallucinations, vomiting and occasional shortness of breath.
The medications Aricept, Exelon and Razadyne are seen to be most effective in treating the early stages of Alzheimer’s illness. This group of prescription medications has been shown to have some modest effect in slowing down the degeneration of a patient’s cognitive capabilities.
These drugs can also help in trying to ease certain behavioural difficulties usually exhibited by people suffering from Alzheimer’s. When these medications are administered effectively to an Alzheimer’s patient, they can quite improve one’s quality of life and more able to cope with the illness.
Alzheimer’s patients taking these drugs may experience some side effects which may not be the same for all patients. Typical side effects observed in patients using the medication Aricept can be nausea, vomiting, excessive tiredness, sleeping troubles and muscle cramps.
Less frequent observed side effects of the medication are headaches and dizziness with rare cases of patients suffering from anorexia, gastric or duodenal ulcers, gastro-intestinal hemorrhage, bladder overflow obstruction, liver damage, convulsions, heart problems and psychiatric disturbances while using Aricept as prescription.
The expected side effects seen in using Exelon as treatment for Alzheimer’s are nausea, vomiting, weight loss, stomach upset and fatigue. Less typical side effects observed with the use of the said medicines are abdominal pain, sweating, diarrhea, headaches, tremor, and psychiatric disturbances such as anxiety or depression with rare cases of patients may encounter gastro-intestinal bleeding.
The medicine Cognex is used less often for Alzheimer’s treatment as it can cause serious liver damage to most patients. Other side effects of the medicine can be nausea and vomiting. Some patients may also encounter some abdominal pain, sore muscles, headache, dizziness, rapid breathing, increased urination, insomnia, runny nose or mouth, and swelling in the legs and feet when taking Cognex. Some of the most severe side effects can be by using Cornex are liver damage, heart problems and seizures.
The typical side effects often reported with the use of Razadyne are nausea, vomiting, appetite loss and weight loss. Less expected are fatigue, dizziness, tremor, headaches, abdominal pain, urinary tract infection, blood in urine, runny nose. There are no serious side effects with this medicine.
Alternative Alzheimer’s Treatment
There are several herbal remedies and dietary supplements that are said to be useful for Alzheimer’s treatments. For those who are in the market for alternative means of relieving the symptoms of Alzheimer’s, these may prove to be sound choices. Regardless, it should be stated that the claims of these Alzheimer’s treatments are largely based on testimonials, tradition, and only a very small body of scientific research.
These Alzheimer’s treatments include the following:
Coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinone) – an antioxidant that helps lower free radical damage
Ginkgo biloba – is a plant extract that contains various compounds said to have positive effects on the brain and the body. In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Pierre L. Le Bars, M.D., PhD, of the New York Institute of Medical Research, and his colleagues found some modest progress in cognition, activities of daily living, and social behaviour among participants.
Huperzine A – a moss extract used in traditional Chinese medication.
Phosphatidylserine – a lipid or fat that is the primary element of cell membranes of neurons
Coral calcium – a form of calcium carbonate emanated from the shells of living organisms that once made up coral reefs.
Conclusion
We have given you here the best medication for Alzheimer’s treatment, which is available now on the market with the approval of the FDA. This information on Authne is available only for education purposes. Don’t try to cure any person using this information. If your loved ones facing this type of Alzheimer’s disease problem, contact your doctor as soon as possible to start medications for this Alzheimer’s treatment.