For more information about Namenda,
please visit www.Namenda.com.
This special section and content brought to you by Forest Laboratories, Inc.
A Unique Alzheimer's Medication
with Proven Benefits
Alzheimer's Disease is Not a Normal Part of Aging
As people age, they can become forgetful. But sometimes, such symptoms can be a sign of something more serious. The symptoms of Alzheimer's disease can be confused with the changes of aging. However, it's important to remember that Alzheimer's disease is not a normal part of the aging process.Alzheimer's disease affects approximately 5 million people in the U.S.1 It's a progressive disease that affects the brain and can result in:
- Loss of memory
- Loss of ability to think and speak clearly
- Loss of ability to perform everyday tasks
- Changes in behavior
Although there is no cure for Alzheimer's disease, there are prescription medications and other treatments that can help slow the progression of symptoms, improve ability to perform everyday tasks, and help maintain independence.
If you or someone you are caring for is suffering from Alzheimer's disease, you may want to talk with a doctor about a unique Alzheimer's medication called Namenda (memantine HCI). It works in an entirely different way than all of the other Alzheimer's therapies on the market and has been shown in clinical trials to safely and effectively treat moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease.2,3
The Namenda Difference
In a class of its own, Namenda targets glutamate, a chemical in the brain that helps with learning and memory.4-7± Abnormal glutamatergic activity in the brain may lead to Alzheimer's disease symptoms. Namenda may help to improve abnormal glutamatergic activity.
Namenda is a unique Alzheimer's disease medication that has a low rate of side effects and has been proven effective in helping to treat the symptoms of moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease when taken alone or with another Alzheimer's disease medication, Aricept® (donepezil HCl).2,3
Namenda Therapy
The results of a clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed Alzheimer's patients taking Namenda experienced a slower rate of decline in Alzheimer's disease symptoms than those taking a placebo (sugar pill).2
Specifically2, 12 :
- People taking Namenda experienced a slower rate of decline in thinking over time than patients who took a placebo.
- Namenda patients had significantly greater ability to perform daily activities, including doing household tasks, like taking out the garbage or cleaning the table after dinner, as well as conversing.
Namenda in Combination with Aricept
The benefits of Namenda also extend to combination therapy—taking Namenda with another Alzheimer's disease medication, Aricept. Adding Namenda to Aricept may do more to help treat the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.3
Combining medications to increase benefits is not a new concept in healthcare. In conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure, doctors often combine medications so patients derive benefits from drugs that target different aspects of a disease.
The results of a clinical trial published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed Alzheimer's patients taking Namenda in combination with Aricept experienced a slower rate of decline in thinking, function and behavior compared to those taking Aricept alone.3*
The study found that combination therapy with Namenda + Aricept may 3,13-15 :
- Improve and maintain thinking
- Help maintain the ability to perform activities of daily living such as grooming, finding belongings and conversing
- Significantly improve behavior
- Delay the onset of negative behavior such as agitation, aggression, and irritability in asymptomatic people
By treating the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, Namenda, in combination with Aricept, may do more to treat the symptoms of the disease and allow people with Alzheimer's to recognize and interact with family and friends longer and may help make life more manageable for everyone involved.
If you or someone you are caring for is suffering from Alzheimer's disease, you may want to talk with your doctor to better understand your options for Alzheimer's treatment.
± Under the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (MMA), the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) developed Model Guidelines Version 2.0, outlining drug categories and classes that may be used by prescription drug plans in developing their formularies. The USP Guidelines were used as the classification structure for approximately 74% of formularies that were in place when the new Medicare Part D benefit became activated January 1, 2006.5,6
* Results from a randomized, multicenter, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled U.S. study investigating the efficacy of NAMENDA+Aricept in patients with moderate to severe AD. The study involved 404 outpatients. Patients were randomized to 24 weeks of treatment with NAMENDA (10 mg BID) or sugar pill in addition to their stable regimen of Aricept (5-10mg/day).
Safety Information
NAMENDA® (memantine HCl) is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to memantine HCl or any excipients used in the formulation.
The most common adverse events reported with NAMENDA vs placebo (≥ 5% and higher than placebo) were dizziness, confusion, headache, and constipation.
In patients with severe renal impairment, the dosage should be reduced.
NAMENDA is indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease.
References:
- Alzheimer's Association website. What is Alzheimer's? Available at: http://alz.org/alzheimers_disease_what_is_alzheimers.asp – Accessed: June 25, 2007
- Reisberg B et al. N Engl J Med. 2003
- Tariot PN et al. JAMA. 2004
- US Pharmacopeia. Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Model Guidelines Version 2.0: Drug Categories and Classes in Part D. Rockville, Md: United States Pharmacopeial Convention, Inc.; February 6, 2006.
- US Pharmacopeia. Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Model Guidelines Version 2.0: Preamble. Rockville, Md: United States Pharmacopeial Convention, Inc.; February 6, 2006.
- USP revising Medicare Model Guidelines. USP Press [newsletter]. January 2006: 1, 4.
- Namenda® Prescribing Information
- Aricept® Prescribing Information
- Razadyne® Prescribing Information
- Exelon® Prescribing Information
- Doraiswamy PM. CNS Drugs. 2002.
- Feldman H et al. ECNP. 2005.
- Schmitt et al. ADAD. 2006.
- Feldman H et al. ADAD. 2006.
- Cummings JL et al. Neurology. 2006.
By using this service, you accept our Terms of Use. Please read them. The consumer health information on is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. You should promptly seek professional medical care if you have any concern about your health, and you should always consult your physician before starting a fitness regimen. Copyright © 2001-2007. The HealthCentral Network, Inc. All rights reserved.