Alzheimer's disease causes progressive memory loss and is a form of dementia. In addition to changes in mentation, patients with Alzheimer's disease can become anxious, develop poor appetite leading to nutritional deficits, have personality changes, develop depression and have general debilitation that can increase mortality. Drugs that help Alzheimer's patients might slow memory loss and treat associated symptoms.
Drugs to Slow Memory Loss
Several drugs slow memory loss to help patients with Alzheimer's disease. These act by boosting the brain chemical acetycholine and are known as cholinesterase inhibitors. Examples include Aricept, Razadyne and Exelon. Razadyne is the only drug to help memory loss for Alzheimer's patients that is available generically as galantamine. The drug Namenda is an FDA-approved medication that regulates the activity of glutamate, a chemical that, like acetycholine, is necessary for transmitting brain signals. Namenda might be used in conjunction with cholinesterase inhibitors.
Medications That Stimulate Appetite
Appetite stimulants can treat nutritional deficiencies caused by the effects of Alzheimer's disease on the brain and from medication side effects that slow memory loss. Two drugs that can help patients with appetite include megestrol and dronabinol, a synthetic form of THC that is the active ingredient in marijuana. The drugs are widely used to stimulate appetite in cancer patients, but may be used for other causes of loss of appetite and muscle wasting, known as cachexia. Improved appetite can boost energy, improve nutrition and hydration and improve quality of life for patients with Alzheimer's disease.
Antidepressants
Antidepressants can help patients with Alzheimer's disease. Medications known as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) can calm depression, agitation and irritable behavior that are symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. Examples include sertraline (Zoloft) and fluoxetine (Prozac).
Sleep Medications
Hypnotic and antidepressant medications can help Alzheimer's disease patient sleep, but should be given in low doses. Examples include benzodiazepines (lorazepam, diapzepam, temazepam), and tricyclic antidepressants (trazadone, nortriptyline). The Alzheimer's Association suggests that sleep medications should be used with extreme caution and discontinued as soon as a sleep pattern returns to normal. Medications to help Alzheimer's patients sleep can increase fall risk, lead to further declines in cognitive function, increase confusion and interfere with their ability to perform activities of daily living.
References
- National Institutes of Health: Alzheimer's Disease
- National Institutes of Health: Alzheimer's Medication Fact Sheet
- Mayo Clinic: Alzheimer's Drugs
- MedicineOnline: Decreased Appetite
- National Institutes of Health: Usage of Megestrol Acetate in the Treatment of Anorexia-Cachexia Syndrome in the Elderly
