Alzheimer's Disease Meds

Question 1

What is Alzheimer’s disease?

Answer 1

• Its a type of Dementia disease.

Question 2

What are the causes of Dementia?

Answer 2

• Alzheimer’s disease
• Trauma.
• Genetics.
• Toxicity.
• Parkinson’s disease.
• Frontal Temperal Dementia.
• Infection.

Question 3

The Hippocampus is involved with?

Answer 3

• Memory.
• Learning.

Question 4

Alzheimer’s disease is associated with the build-up of?

Answer 4

• Plaques
• Tangles

Question 5

What happens when the neurons of an Alzheimer’s patient dies, there is a?

Answer 5

• Deficit of Acetylcholine.
• Too much Glutamate (Causes toxicity in the brain).

Question 6

Signs and symptoms of Mild stage of Alzheimer’s disease?

Answer 6

• Short-term memory loss.
• Confusion.
• Loss of self management skills (they can clean like they used to).

Question 7

Signs and symptoms of Moderate stage of Alzheimer’s disease?

Answer 7

• Wandering alot.
• Emotional instability.
• Confabulation (The brain creates a memory that it can’t find)

Question 8

Signs and symptoms of Sever stage of Alzheimer’s disease?

Answer 8

• Loss of the ability to :-
  
  • Eat.
    * Speak.
    * Understand language.
    * Ambulate.
    * Control elimination.

Question 9

Medications that treat Alzheimer’s disease?

Answer 9

• Cholinesterase inhibitors (Donepezil).
• Memantine.
• Atypical antipsychotics (Risperidone, Olanzapine).

Question 10

Facts about Donepezil?

Answer 10

• Its a Cholinesterase inhibitor.
• It is treats all stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
• It primarily works in the brain.
• Low risks
• Its cheap
• It the only Cholinesterase inhibitor that crosses the Blood Brain Barrier, thats why it works in the brain).

Question 11

How does Donepezil work?

Answer 11

• It is a Cholinesterase inhibitor, which means it blocks the Cholinesterase that breaks down the Acetylcholine hence increasing the Acetylcholine levels in the brains. (This temporarily improves the clients memory).

Question 12

High yield concepts of Donepezil?

Answer 12

• Bradycardia & Syncope (fainting).
• Drug interactions (Avoid TCA, Antihistamines, Oxybutynin).
• Cholinergic effects (GI issues is the most common issue).
• Realistic Expectations (the meds dont stop or even slow down the disease so we should not give the Pt false hopes).

Question 13

How does Memantine work?

Answer 13

• It treats only two stages of Alzheimer’s disease (Moderate & severe Alzheimer’s).
• It helps regulate the Glutamate levels in the brains.

(Since an Alzheimer’s Pt has too much Glutamate in their brain).

Question 14

High yield concepts of Memantine?

Answer 14

• Its is well tolerated.