How Is Alzheimer’s Disease Treated?
Alzheimer’s disease is usually treated through a multi-dimensional approach – that may use medications, lifestyle changes, and social programs to treat a patient. [7]
Medications
Several medications with prescription are currently available in the market with the approval of food and drug administration (FDA) to treat the Alzheimer’s patients. In order to treat the patient with the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, medications are a good course of action to provide independence, dignity, and comfort to live longer with their symptoms. Medications can also assist and encourage the caregivers too. A majority of the medications work perfectly for people having the early-onset of Alzheimer’s disease or are in the middle stages of Alzheimer’s. The medications effectively reduce the severity of some symptoms like memory loss for a certain time. Although it is not possible for the medications to work miracles and stop all of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s.
Medications for mild to moderate Alzheimer’s:
- Cholinesterase inhibitors: Cholinesterase inhibitors might help in reducing some symptoms like behavioral symptoms and comes with the market name of Exelon, Aricept, and Razadyne. The researchers cannot fully understand that how these cholinesterase inhibitors perform to treat the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, but the studies indicate that these inhibitors avoid the breakage of acetylcholine. A group of medications known as cholinesterase inhibitors work the best for the patients with mild to moderate stage of Alzheimer’s. Acetylcholine is an important chemical for brain which is important in the processes of thinking and memory. In addition, as the disease progresses, the brain starts producing less and less acetylcholine and thus the medications with cholinesterase inhibitors might lose the effect. All the medications somewhat work in a familiar way so switching one drug to another cannot do any benefit.
- Aricept (Donepezil): Aricept is a cholinesterase inhibitor which treats the mild to moderate symptoms of Alzheimer’s by preventing the breakdown of acetylcholine, a chemical in the brain to stop the progression of brain cell degeneration.
- Exelon (Rivastigmine): Exelon consists of cholinesterase inhibitors and are available to treat the symptoms of mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. A patch of Exelon is also available for the patients who cannot orally take the medication. Also, this medication specifically works by preventing the breakdown of butrylcholine and acetylcholine in the brain and thus prevents the degeneration of brain cells.