The FDA has recently approved the dementia fighting drug Exelon in a patch form. The new formulation, Transdermal Exelon, offers patients a new and unique way to get medication which can help with improving cognitive function and slow down memory loss in patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. The new patch is also FDA approved for patients with Parkinson associated dementia. This is the second patch approved for use in treatment of Parkinson disease. The other is Neupro, a transdermal patch containing the dopamine agonist rotigotine.
Transdermal Exelon joins the group of other medications used to treat Alzheimer’s disease, such as Aricept, Razadyne and Namenda. The patch for of Exelon offers the advantage of not having to take a pill twice daily, continuous medication administration through the skin and less stomach upset. Another advantage is that the patch demonstrated beneficial effects equivalent to the maximum oral dosing of this medication. The problem with the oral medication was intolerance due to nausea and vomiting. While much less, there were some reports of stomach upset with Transdermal Exelon. Another side effect, common to most patch medications, was that of skin irritation. The patch needs to be changed daily and administration sites should be rotated, not using the same site more than once every two weeks. While Exelon, Aricept and Razadyne are in the same chemical family of memory disorder drugs – the acetylcholine esterase inhibitors – Namenda is in a class by itself. For this reason, it can be used in combination with any of the other three. Studies have shown that there is a beneficial effect in improving cognitive function with combining these two different types of medication. Studies are looking into the use of these medications for patients with mild cognitive impairment. These are individuals who have some memory loss but do not fit the criteria to be diagnosed with dementia. Depression, manifesting as dementia, also needs to be excluded.
Alzheimer’s disease is a chronic debilitating illness that slowly robs patients of their memory, cognitive abilities and ability to function independently. They become more and more dependent on others to provide care and transportation for them. Even dressing, eating and bathing become impossible for them to perform without assistance. With the availability of these new memory drugs, the progression of the debilitating symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson disease associated dementia can be slowed down. Some patients actually show functional improvement. Unfortunately, none of these medications halt the progression of the disease. Eventually their quality of life deteriorates and others will need to assist with care giving. The benefit of these medications is that they significantly slow the progression of the disease, possibly keeping loved ones at home, instead of a nursing home, for anywhere from 6-18 months. If you have a loved one with memory loss, early diagnosis and treatment is important. Studies are ongoing to show that with earlier treatment, patients do better over extended periods of time. Bring your family member with memory loss to a neurologist for a complete evaluation.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
My father was rpescribed Exelon at a low dose and eventually they would increase the dose…one week before the dose was to be increase he tried to slice his wrists…something he never would have done before what I am assuming Exelon had something to do with. This is not the most pleasant call I wanted to receive from my mother who found my dad with the knife to his wrist. The doctor took the patch right off. Be carefull. There are a lot of patients out there who are over medicated. I believe this could have been the case with my dad…seeing that he is on other antidepressants. I don’t believe there is enough research done on this drug.
It is interesting to me to read what Denise wrote here. I have been taking care of a man with severe dementia for several years. His primary care physician perscribes meds like they are candy, he seems especially fond of any new designer drug that hits the market. Judging from the sexy drug sales lady that came in his office the last time I was waiting for my patient in the waiting area, I guess they must buy alot of new drugs from her.
Anyway, not to get off the subject, This doctor took my patient off his aricept and put him on the exelon patch this past July. By the end of July my patient was a complete mess. He was not bathing or showering, he was going to bed fully dressed. He had a car accident, he is lucky he didn’t get hurt when he was sleep walking in the middle of the night and pulled a heavy chest over which caused all the drawers to come tumbling out on top of an antique family heirloom which was on top of the chest. There was broken glass and the contents of the drawres were strewn all over the room. He could have seriously hurt himself. Ofcourse I figured I could give him the patches each day and have him put them on himself in the mirror while he was dressing. How can a person with dementia remember to take the old patches off. He had four old patches on him at one point when I checked him.
When the samples the doctor gave us were gone, I never filled a perscription to continue them. I told the doctor he could go back on his aricept. He would have to put up with the physical side effects of the aricept compared to what the exelon patch was causing him to do.
His doctor has him on at least six different medicatios! Yes, Doctors do over perscribe and don’t think anything of it. I am the one responsible for giving this person the drugs and that is a scary thing for me.
It would be nice to see unbiased and financially unsupported descriptions of bona fide trials. I have an open mind and am willing to try approved and positively safe medications. Furthermore, I am not ashamed (if that is the right word) of my current situation. I am still engaged in research in my fields, still speak, read and write in 10 languages…