Donepezil | Aricept
ARICEPT is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of dementia of the Alzheimer’s type. Efficacy has been demonstrated in patients with mild, moderate, and severe Alzheimer’s Disease (1.0).
- Mild to Moderate Alzheimer’s Disease – 5 mg or 10 mg administered once daily (2.1)
- Moderate to Severe Alzheim er’s Disease – 10 mg or 23 mg administered once daily (2.2)
A dose of 10 mg once daily can be administered once patients have been on a daily dose of 5 mg for 4 to 6 weeks. A dose of 23 mg once daily can be administered once patien ts have been on a dose of 10 mg once daily for at least 3 months (2.3).
- Tablets: 5 mg, 10 mg and 23 mg (3)
- Orally Disintegrating Tablets (ODT): 5 mg and 10 mg (3)
—–INDICATIONS AND USAGE—–
- See description above.
—–DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION—–
- See description above.
—–CONTRAINDICATIONS—–
- Patients with known hypersen sitivity to donepezil hydrochloride or to piperidine derivatives
—–WARNINGS—–
- Cholinesterase inhibitors are likely to exaggerate succinylcholine-type muscle relaxation during anesthesia (5.1).
- Cholinesterase inhibitors may have vagotonic effects on the sinoatrial and atrioventricular nodes manifesting as bradycardia or heart block (5.2).
- ARICEPT can cause vomiting. Patients should be ob served closely at initiation of treatment and after dose increases (5.3).
- Patients should be monitored closely for symptoms of active or occult gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, especially those at increased risk for developing ulcers (5.4).
- The use of ARICE PT in a dose of 23 mg once daily is associated with weight loss (5.5).
- Cholinomimetics may cause bladder outflow obstructions (5.6).
- Cholinomimetics are believed t o have some potential to cause generalized convulsions (5.7).
- Cholinesterase inhibitors should be prescribed with care to patients with a history of asthma or obstructive pulmonary disease (5.8).
—–ADVERSE REACTIONS—–
- The most common adverse reactions in clinical studies of ARICEPT are nausea, diarrhea, insomnia, vomiting, muscle cramps, fatigue, and anorexia (6.1).
—–DRUG INTERACTIONS—–
- Cholinesterase inhibitors have the potential to interfere with the activity of anticholinergic medications (7.3).
- A synergistic effect may be expected with concomitant administration of succinylcholine, similar neuromuscular blocking agents, or cholinergic agonists (7.4).
—–USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS—–
- Based on animal data, ARICEPT may cause fetal harm (8.1).
