A comprehensive guide to the most common treatments for Alzheimer’s
Although there is no definitive cure for Alzheimer’s, there are treatments and medicines that can temporarily slow down the onset of symptoms and improve quality of life, not only for the person suffering from this disease, but also their carers.
Below is a list of the most common Alzheimer’s medications and treatments, so that you can be better prepared to talk to your doctor and make informed decisions about treatments to manage your symptoms.
You may also be interested in…
Medication for Alzheimer’s
There are 5 different drugs that have been approved by the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) to slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s.
The following table outlines the side effects of each one of these drugs and which stages of Alzheimer’s they are suitable for.
Medication for Alzheimer’s approved by the FDA
1. Donepezil
Brand: Aricept
Approved for: all stages
Approved by FDA: 1996
Side effects: nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and increase in frequency of bowel movements
2. Galantamine
Brand:Razadyne
Approved for: mild to moderate
Approved by FDA:2001
Side effects: nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and increase in frequency of bowel movements
3. Memantine
Brand:Namenda
Approved for: moderate to severe
Approved by FDA:2003
Side effects: headache, constipation, confusion and dizziness
4. Rivastigmine
Brand:Exelon
Approved for: all stages
Approved by FDA:2000
Side effects: nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and increase in frequency of bowel movements
5. Donepezil and Memantine
Brand:Namzaric
Approved for: moderate to severe
Approved by FDA:2014
Side effects: nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, increase in frequency of bowel movements, headache, constipation, confusion and dizziness
How do these FDA-approved Alzheimer’s drugs work?
So that you can understand how these drugs work, you first need to understand what changes occur in the brain of patients suffering from Alzheimer’s.
There are small nerve cells in the brain (neurons) that connect to each other through a process called synapsis. By making these connections, small chemical explosions (neurotransmitters) are created, which allows information to be transferred from one cell to another.
Abnormal protein deposits have been identified in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s, which form aggregates and inclusion bodies, destructuring the architecture of the brain. These proteins are called beta-amyloid and tau proteins.
These FDA-approved drugs help to maintain the synapsis process. This is achieved through several mechanisms:
1- Cholinesterase inhibitors:
Donepezil, galantamine and rivastigmine are cholinesterase inhibitors What does this mean? These three drugs prevent failures of a chemical that transmits important information for learning and memory.
These drugs treat symptoms related to memory, reasoning, language, critical thinking and other mental processes.
2- Memantine (Namenda):
Memantine regulates the activity of a different chemical messenger. It works as an antagonist of the NMDA receptor (N-methyl-D-aspartate). What does that mean? That it works to regulate glutamate activity, an important neurotransmitter in the brain involved with learning and memory.
When glutamate adheres to cell surface anchoring sites (NMDA receptors), it allows calcium to enter the cell. This process is important for cell signaling, as well as for learning and memory.
In Alzheimer’s, however, damaged cells can release too much glutamate, which leads to an overexposure to calcium, which can accelerate cell damage. Memantine helps avoid this destructive chain of events by partially blocking NMDA receptors.
The effectiveness of cholinesterase and memantine inhibitors can vary from person to person.
Tips for people with Alzheimer’s: safety of medication
- Keep a calendar and make note of each time you take a dose of the medication.
- Keep a pillbox and fill it up every night for the next day.
- Set an alarm on your cell phone and schedule your medication around meal times.
You may also like to read:
Tips for coping with Alzheimer’s
Before starting any new medication, be sure to discuss it with your doctor. Knowing what options are available can help you to understand why you have been prescribed a certain drug, prevent unwanted interactions between medications and decide whether to pursue additional alternative treatments.
Alternative treatments for Alzheimer’s
There are various remedies, supplements and foods that are usually referred to as alternative treatments. Some of these alternative treatments are backed up by significant scientific research, however, others may not be regulated and their effectiveness may be based on hearsay rather than official scientific studies.
For this reason, it is important that, if you are considering an alternative treatment for Alzheimer’s, you talk openly and honestly with your doctor. You should be informed about all the risks or adverse reactions that any substance can cause when combined with traditional medicines.
CBD (or medical marijuana) to treat Alzheimer’s
Among the alternative treatments supported by clinical research, is cannabidiol or CBD.
Recent studies have proven the effectiveness of CBD (medicinal compound of cannabis), in controlling some symptoms of Alzheimer’s. It is a natural, alternative treatment that can be used by patients in the early stages of Alzheimer’s.
In addition, its medicinal use is not only gaining recognition in the eyes of the law, but the World Health Organization (WHO) has also acknowledged its therapeutic properties.
The benefits of CBD include:
- Stimulates neurogenesis (the production of new cells)
- Eases confusion and agitation that Alzheimer’s may produce
- Improves mood and sleep
- Helps stimulate appetite
Other treatments for Alzheimer’s
Below is a list of alternative treatments that have been known to help certain people with Alzheimer’s, but that are lacking sufficient scientific research:
- Caprylic acid
- Coconut oil
- Coenzyme Q10
- Coral calcium
- Ginkgo biloba
- Huperzine A
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Phosphatidylserine
If you would like to know more about these treatments, click here: https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/treatments/alternative-treatments
There are also specific treatments available to treat the behavioral changes and changes to sleeping habits in patients with Alzheimer’s.
Future innovations in the treatment of Alzheimer’s
Currently, researchers are looking for new ways of preventing Alzheimer’s, diagnosing it early and slowing down or even stopping the progression of the disease.
The medications that we have developed so far help to ease symptoms, but do not treat the underlying disease or delay its progress.
The future of Alzheimer’s drugs should aim to treat the underlying disease and to stop or delay cellular damage that eventually causes symptoms to get worse. A number of promising drugs are emerging, but they are still in development and undergoing testing.
Researchers consider Alzheimer’s to be a complex disease with multiple potential causes, so a successful treatment for it will most likely involve a combination of several drugs with different objectives, similar to current treatments for many types of cancer and AIDS.
If you have Alzheimer’s, know that research surrounding this pathology is underway. If you would like to know more about the latest Alzheimer’s research, check out the World Alzheimer’s Report (2019).
Share this information with your loved ones, and help raise awareness about Alzheimer’s.
You may also be interested in:
7 symptoms for early detection of Alzheimer’s