Two New Therapies 'Buy More Quality Time' for Alzheimer's Patients
Two New Therapies 'Buy More Quality Time' for Alzheimer's Patients
Oct. 15, 1999 (Atlanta) -- Two new drugs, one already approved by the FDA, are showing promise for people suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Researchers presented the details at a recent meeting of the American Neurological Association in Seattle.
The drug rivastigmine, which will be marketed by Novartis Pharmaceuticals under the name Exelon, is expected to be on the market by next year. The FDA approved rivastigmine this spring, and it is already being sold in Europe and in some Latin American countries. The drug is "buying more quality time" for people with Alzheimer's disease, George Grossberg, MD, tells WebMD. Grossberg, who is a director of the division of geriatric psychiatry at St. Louis University Medical School, investigated the drug and was on its safety monitoring board.
Grossberg says rivastigmine shows the best benefit for Alzheimer's patients in the "moderate to severe" phase of the disease. It works by inhibiting an enzyme that breaks down a chemical called acetylcholine. Acetylcholine appears to be involved in learning and memory. Memory loss is one of the debilitating effects of Alzheimer's, along with progressively worse confusion and disorientation. Ultimately, the disease, which affects approximately 4 million Americans, can cause death in 5-10 years, according to the Alzheimer's Association.
One study tested rivastigmine on 2,126 patients. Just over two-thirds of them were given the drug, and the remaining patients received a placebo. The effectiveness of the drug was determined over time by how well the patients performed a group of 27 daily tasks such as balancing a checkbook, driving safely, using the telephone and other household implements, and moving about safely while not getting lost.
Grossberg says improvement was significant on 22 of the tasks. Although the drug did not stop the progression of the disease, it was shown to slow an expected decline brought on by the disease. People who cared for the Alzheimer's patients observed an improvement in most of the daily tasks tested, and in fact, by week 26 of the trial, many of the patients showed improvement on all 27 daily tasks.
Two New Therapies 'Buy More Quality Time' for Alzheimer's Patients
Oct. 15, 1999 (Atlanta) -- Two new drugs, one already approved by the FDA, are showing promise for people suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Researchers presented the details at a recent meeting of the American Neurological Association in Seattle.
The drug rivastigmine, which will be marketed by Novartis Pharmaceuticals under the name Exelon, is expected to be on the market by next year. The FDA approved rivastigmine this spring, and it is already being sold in Europe and in some Latin American countries. The drug is "buying more quality time" for people with Alzheimer's disease, George Grossberg, MD, tells WebMD. Grossberg, who is a director of the division of geriatric psychiatry at St. Louis University Medical School, investigated the drug and was on its safety monitoring board.
Grossberg says rivastigmine shows the best benefit for Alzheimer's patients in the "moderate to severe" phase of the disease. It works by inhibiting an enzyme that breaks down a chemical called acetylcholine. Acetylcholine appears to be involved in learning and memory. Memory loss is one of the debilitating effects of Alzheimer's, along with progressively worse confusion and disorientation. Ultimately, the disease, which affects approximately 4 million Americans, can cause death in 5-10 years, according to the Alzheimer's Association.
One study tested rivastigmine on 2,126 patients. Just over two-thirds of them were given the drug, and the remaining patients received a placebo. The effectiveness of the drug was determined over time by how well the patients performed a group of 27 daily tasks such as balancing a checkbook, driving safely, using the telephone and other household implements, and moving about safely while not getting lost.
Grossberg says improvement was significant on 22 of the tasks. Although the drug did not stop the progression of the disease, it was shown to slow an expected decline brought on by the disease. People who cared for the Alzheimer's patients observed an improvement in most of the daily tasks tested, and in fact, by week 26 of the trial, many of the patients showed improvement on all 27 daily tasks.
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