Treatment Overview

While there is not yet a cure for Alzheimer's disease, there is much that can be done to maintain quality of life and help the person stay active.

Initial treatment

Medicines called cholinesterase inhibitors may be started as soon as Alzheimer's disease is diagnosed. These medicines—which include donepezil hydrochloride (Aricept), galantamine (Razadyne), and rivastigmine (Exelon)—may temporarily help with memory and thinking problems caused by the disease. The effect of these medicines usually is not dramatic, and they may not work for everyone who has the disease. Even though cholinesterase inhibitors may slow the progression of symptoms, they do not prevent the disease from getting worse. But most experts agree that cholinesterase inhibitors are worth trying for most people who have Alzheimer's disease.

Another medicine, called memantine (Namenda), may be used alone or with cholinesterase inhibitors to treat moderate to severe symptoms of confusion and memory loss caused by Alzheimer's disease.

For more information on when or whether to take medicines, see:

Alzheimer's Disease: Should I Take Medicines?

Another important aspect of initial treatment is detecting and treating any other medical problems the person may have. For instance, depression occurs in nearly half of people with Alzheimer's disease, especially those in the early stage of the disease who are aware of what the future holds for them. Detecting and treating problems such as depression can minimize disability and maximize the person's remaining abilities.

Newly diagnosed individuals and their families face important questions during initial treatment:

• What kind of care does the person need right now?
• Who will take care of the person in the future?
• What can the family expect as the disease progresses?
• What kind of planning needs to be done?

Education of the family and other caregivers is critical to successful care for a person with Alzheimer's. If you are or will be the caregiver, start learning what you can expect and what you can do to manage problems as they arise.

Ongoing treatment

If treatment with a cholinesterase inhibitor medicine seems to be helping the person with Alzheimer's disease, it can be continued until it is no longer helpful. The medicine may remain effective longer in some people than in others. Treatment may be stopped at any time if the person is not able to tolerate side effects from the medicine.

Regular assessment by a doctor helps evaluate the person's response to medicine, detect new problems, monitor changing symptoms, and provide continuing education to the family. Decisions about treatment for behavior problems or other issues often need to be revisited as the disease progresses. A general guideline is that a person with Alzheimer's should see the doctor every 6 months, or sooner if a problem arises.