Alzheimer's treatments

There are two types of medications approved by the FDA that treat cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Cognitive symptoms affect memory, language, judgment, planning, ability to pay attention and other thought processes.
Cholinesterase inhibitors prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine, a chemical messenger important for learning and memory. They can delay worsening of symptoms for 6 to 12 months, may more, for about half the people who take them. Aricept (Donepezil) has been approved to treat all stages of Alzheimer’s. Exelon, (Rivastgmine), and Razadyne, (Galantamine), have been approved to treat mild to moderate Alzheimer’s. Namenda, (Memantine), works by regulating the activity of glutamate, a different messenger chemical involved in learning and memory. It is the only drug of its’ type approved for moderate to severe Alzheimer;s to temporarily delay worsening of symptoms for some people.
Brian takes Namenda and Aricept.
For many individuals, Alzheimer's disease affects the way they feel and act in addition to its impact on memory and other thought processes. As with cognitive symptoms, the chief underlying cause is progressive destruction of brain cells. In different stages of Alzheimer's, people may experience: physical or verbal outbursts, emotional distress, restlessness, pacing and yelling, hallucinations, and delusions.
There are two approaches to managing behavioral symptoms: using medications specifically to control the symptoms or non-drug strategies. Non-drug approaches should always be tried first. These include recognizing that the person is not trying to be mean but these are symptoms of the disease and changing their environment to resolve challenges and obstacles to comfort, security and ease of mind.
Medications may be appropriate when individuals have severe symptoms or have the potential to harm themselves or others. Medications can be effective in some situations, but they must be used carefully and are most effective when combined with non-drug approaches. When considering use of medications, it is important to understand that no drugs are specifically approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat behavioral and psychiatric dementia symptoms.
As with all medications, talk to your doctor about what treatment may be right for you or the person in your care. A medication's effectiveness, and the side effects it may cause, can vary from one person to the next. For one individual, one drug may be more effective but have greater side effects. For another person, the same drug may be less effective but have no side effects.