About Alzheimer's

Treatment

• Currently, there is no cure for Alzheimer's disease.
  
  
• Researchers are continually testing the effectiveness of various drug therapies that will control symptoms; slow, reduce and/or reverse mental and behavioral symptoms; and prevent or halt the disease.
  
  
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved several medications for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease: donepezil hydrochloride (Aricept), approved for all stages of Alzheimer's disease; rivastigmine (Exelon), approved in pill and patch form for mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease; galantamine hydrobromide (Razadyne), approved for mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease; and memantine HCI (Namenda) for the treatment of moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease.
  
  
• Some of these medications can be used alone or in combination, and can provide some relief of symptoms and may slow the decline in mental function to some extent.
  
  
• The FDA has approved memantine HCI (Namenda) for the treatment of moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease, which may help slow the worsening of symptoms.
  
  
• Currently, research supports behavioral management interventions for many individuals with dementia, as well as education and counseling for caregivers of older adults.
  
  
• The National Institute on Aging, in concert with the FDA, tracks private- and government-sponsored clinical trials; contact the Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral Center (www.alzheimers.org/trials or 800-438-4380). AFA also lists clinical trials; click here.

For more information, connect with the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America’s licensed social workers. Click here or call 866.AFA.8484. Real People. Real Care.