Tag Archives: Memantine

Alzheimer's Disease Its Causes, Treatment, and Medications

Alzheimer’s Disease: Its Causes, Treatment, and Medications

Disease, health and medicine, , ,

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurologic disorder that affects the brain. One of the main features of this disease is the presence of plaques and tangles in the brain. Another feature is a loss of connection between neurons or nerve cells in the brain. This disease is one of the most common causes of dementia.  

Several things that are thought to increase your risk of developing the disease may be: 

  • An increasing age 
  • A family history of the disease 
  • Lifestyle factors and diseases associated with cardiovascular disease 
  • Untreated depression can also be one of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease 

 

What causes Alzheimer’s Disease? 

Alzheimer’s disease is understood to be caused by an unusual build-up of proteins around and inside the brain cells. Some of the proteins involved are amyloid that deposits of which makes plaques around brain cells. Tau is also another protein that deposits of which form tangles within brain cells. As the brain cells become affected, there is also a decrease in chemical messengers involved in sending messages between brain cells.   

The level of one neurotransmitter called acetylcholine is particularly low in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. Different areas of the brain shrink over time. The leading parts commonly affected are accountable for memories.  

 

Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease 

Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of aging. Memory problems are usually one of the first warning signs of the disease. In addition, people with Alzheimer’s disease may also experience: 

  • Trouble completing familiar tasks at home, at work, or leisure 
  • Changes in behavior, mood, or personality 
  • Trouble handling money and paying bills 
  • Decreased or poor judgment 
  • Misplacing things and being unable to retrace steps to find them 
  • Memory loss that disrupts daily life such as repeating questions or getting lost in a familiar place  

 

Risk Factors Of Having Alzheimer’s Disease 

The following are the listed factors of getting the disease: 

Areas affected by the condition: 

  • Finland 
  • United States 
  • Canada 
  • Iceland 
  • Sweden 
  • Switzerland  
  • Norway 
  • Denmark 
  • Netherlands  
  • Belgium  

 

People who are at risk: 

Alzheimer’s disease is most common in people aged 65 years and older. The risk of this disease and other types of dementia increases with age that affects an estimated 1 in 14 individuals over the age of 65 and 1 in every 6 individuals 80 years of age and older. However, around 1 in every 20 cases of the disease affects people from 40 to 65 years of age. It is called an early or young-onset Alzheimer’s disease.  

 

Safety Precautions  

To prevent stressful and harmful situations, consider these safety tips: 

  • Prepare for emergencies. You need to have an emergency contact number in case something came up.  
  • Have a monitoring device to help you in case you need something or an unexpected situation to occur.  
  • Take caution when using a heating device.  
  • Avoid potentially harmful appliances.  
  • Be careful when using a heating device.  

 

Treating Alzheimer’s Disease 

Alzheimer’s disease is not an avoidable condition. Conversely, there are various lifestyle risk factors for the disease that can be modified. The changes in diet, habits, and exercise help = to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease which may as well lower your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Change lifestyle choices that may reduce the risk of the disease include the following: 

  • Eating a diet of healthy oils, fresh produce, and foods low in saturated fat  
  • Exercising regularly 
  • Following treatment guidelines to manage high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes 
  • Asking your doctor for help to quit smoking if you smoke 

Studies have made known that preserved thinking skills later in life and a low risk of having the disease are associated with participating in: 

  • Reading 
  • Creating art 
  • Dancing 
  • Playing an instrument 
  • Playing board games 
  • Social events 
  • Other activities that require social and mental engagement 

 

Medications for Alzheimer’s Disease 

Various medications may be prescribed in people with Alzheimer’s disease to help improve some symptoms temporarily. These medications may include: 

  1. Acetylcholinesteraseinhibitors 

These medications increase levels of acetylcholine which is a substance in the brain that helps nerve cells connect. Certain drugs that can be prescribed for people with early- to mid-stage Alzheimer’s disease are: 

  1. Memantine

This drug works by blocking the effects of an excessive amount of a chemical in the brain called glutamate. 

  1. Risperidone

This should be used at the lowest dose and for the shortest time possible as it has serious side effects. 

  1. Haloperidol

This should only be used if other treatments have not helped. 

Buy Memantine

Treat Moderate to Severe Dementia

health and medicine,

Memantine is an NMDA receptor antagonist. It is used to treat moderate to severe dementia caused by Alzheimer’s disease (AD). It works by decreasing the abnormal activity in the brain. This oral tablet is available as a brand and generic version in different formulation for easy administration. Compared with other medications in treating Alzheimer’s disease, this drug has fewer side effects.

Memantine can be used as part of combination therapy. You need to take this with other medications in treating dementia associated with Alzheimer’s disease. However, this medicine can help slow down the progression of symptoms of moderate to severe AD, but it will not cure it.

What condition does Memantine treat?

Memantine is used for the treatment of moderate to severe dementia associated with Alzheimer’s disease especially for those who are intolerant of or have a contraindication to acetylcholinesterase inhibitors such as Donepezil.

Studies have demonstrated that this drug causes a small improvement in the daily and cognitive function (such as learning, thinking, and memory) among those who have dementia. Dementia is a general term for symptoms that affect mental cognitive tasks such as reasoning, memory, and thinking. It can occur due to a variety of conditions, but the most common is Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia is not a normal part of aging. It happens when there are damages in the brain cells that affect the ability to communicate. As it progresses, it can have a huge impact on the ability to become independent.

Early symptoms of dementia-like forgetfulness can be mild and easy to overlook. As it progresses, confusion and forgetfulness grow. People with dementia find it difficult to recall names and faces while personal care becomes a problem. Signs of dementia include poor decision-making, repetitious questioning, and inadequate hygiene. The behavior continues to change and can turn into aggression and depression.

How does Memantine work?

  • There is increasing evidence that dementia associated with Alzheimer’s disease are due to the errors of the signals that pass messages between the brain and the nerve cells.
  • Although the cause of Alzheimer’s disease is not fully understood, it is believed that dementia is due to the excessive activity of glutamate, a natural chemical produce by the body that contributes to the symptoms and progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
  • Glutamate acts on the NMDA receptors found on the nerve cells in the brain. Memantine blocks the excessive activity of glutamate and further damage to the nerve cells but still allows some normal activation of the receptors. This decreases the harmful effect of glutamate in the brain and may help improve your symptoms of dementia.

What is the dosage of Memantine?

  • Your dose can be different from other patients. You must follow your doctor’s order or the direction on the prescription label.
  • The typical starting dose in treating dementia associated with Alzheimer’s disease among adults is 5 mg a day. Your doctor may likely to increase your dose to 5 mg two times a day or higher. The maximum recommended dose is 20 mg a day.
  • Patients with kidney problems should need a lower dose.

How to take Memantine?

  • Swallow the tablet whole with plenty of water.
  • Take Memantine regularly. To help you remember your dosing schedule, take it at the same time each day.
  • Your doctor may start giving you a low dose and may adjust your dose over time. Your initial dose will ultimately be the smallest effective dose.
  • You may take this medicine with or without food.
  • Take it exactly as directed. Do not take more or less than what is prescribed to you.
  • If you forget to take your dose at the usual time, leave it. Continue with the regular dosing schedule the next day.

What are the precautions in taking Memantine?

  • Use this with caution among patients with:
    • Epilepsy
    • Heart failure
    • Heart attack
    • High blood pressure
    • Severe infections of the urinary tract with Proteus bacteria
    • Kidney problems
  • Do not use this among people with:
    • Decrease liver function
    • Who are pregnant or breastfeeding unless deemed necessary
    • Allergic to any of its ingredients
  • Inform your doctor if:
    • You have a urinary tract infection
    • You ever had a seizure
    • You have difficulty urinating
    • You have liver disease
    • You are having surgery including dental procedures
  • This medication may help improve the ability of a person with AD to think and remember but it will not cure it or prevent the loss of these abilities in the future.
  • Do not stop taking this medicine without informing your doctor. Continue taking it even if you feel well.
  • Using Memantine for a long time is fine as long as it is producing a good effect. However, your doctor will have to assess you regularly.
  • Doctors will only prescribe Memantine if the patient has a caregiver available to monitor the patient and see to it that the patient is taking the medicine.
  • Avoid substantial changes to a patient’s diet like shifting from meat-eating to a strict diet or vice versa as this can affect the removal of the drug from the body.
  • This medicine can interact with several other medications, which can cause different side effects. Tell your doctor if you are using any other medication including prescription and non-prescription drugs, vitamin, minerals, and herbal supplements.

Costs of Generic Memantine vs. Namenda

The generic Memantine is a cheaper drug for the treatment of dementia symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease. It is cheaper than the branded counterpart Namenda.  The generic Memantine 10 mg cost $0.97 per unit price or $58 for 60 tablets. While the brand name Namenda 10 mg cost $7.59 per unit price or $455.40 for 60 tablets.

Alzheimer’s disease

health and medicine, , ,

Alzheimer’s disease is a common type of Dementia. The term “Dementia” is used to describe the loss of memory and trouble handling things such as thinking and reasoning.  People with this type of disease have a hard time responding to their daily activities.

Dr. Alois Alzheimer first discovered the “Alzheimer’s Disease” in 1906. Having this condition unable a person to respond likes normal people. Extra care is needed because some parts of their brain control their thoughts and memory.

CAUSES

There is no exact cause of Alzheimer’s disease. Environmental and Lifestyle are factors that contribute to this condition. Alzheimer’s disease is capable of damaging the brain and its brain cells. It can caused a person’s brain to become smaller. There are two types of abnormalities that occur in the brain: Plaques and Tangles.

SYMPTOMS

Memory problems are the first signs of having Alzheimer’s disease. This condition is not normal in aging. A person with this disease may experience the following:

  • Memory loss, or unable to remember familiar places
  • Asking and repeating the same questions
  • Trouble handling money
  • Misplacing things that are being used regularly
  • Changing mood/mood swings
  • Repeating things you do over and over
  • Forgetting things and having trouble to remember later
  • Trouble to respond in daily activities
  • Confusion of time and place

Experiencing the above symptoms doesn’t mean you have Alzheimer’s disease. It is better to consult a Physician. Seeking doctor’s advice may help you develop a plan for your care.

TREATMENT

Alzheimer’s disease has no cure. Medications are useful to help treat mental functions. Caregivers can also help improve the life of a person having this kind of condition. Treatments can be done in different ways:

  • Help them to maintain mental function
  • Manage their behavioral symptoms
  • Delaying the symptoms of the Alzheimer’s Disease

MEDICATIONS

Cholinesterase inhibitors and Memantine (Namenda) are drugs used to treat mental function.

Cholinesterine inhibitors – is a medicine that helps in communicating cell to cell in the brain. These are the common forms of this drug.

  • Donepezil (Aricept)
  • Galantamine (Razadyne)
  • Rivastigmine (Exelon)

Memantine (Namenda) – slows down the progression of the symptoms. It is used to lessen the severe forms of the disease.

Caring for a person with this disease at home can be a hard task to do. Each day brings a new obstacle to the caregivers that cope with the behavioral change of a person. Alzheimer’s disease needs extra care as the disease gets worse day by day.

BURDEN OF ALZHEIMER’S

Alzheimer’s disease has an increasing rate of death, unlike other diseases. This condition has shown to be underreported on death certificates. It’s one of the top 10 causes of death in the US and it’s the 6th leading cause of death among adults.