Donecept

Details

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Donepezil 5mg, 10mg tablets also known as Aricept is a prescription medicine used in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. It is called Donecept in India.

Used for

• It may be used alone or with other medicines for the treatment of symptoms of dementia associated with Alzheimer Disease,
• Donecept is not a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, but it may help to slow down symptom progression.

 

How does it work?

People with Alzheimer’s disease usually have low amounts of a chemical in the brain called acetylcholine. Low levels of this chemical can cause dementia, or problems with mental function or doing simple daily tasks. Donepezil 5mg, 10mg, 23mg tablets work by preventing the breakdown of acetylcholine. This can help decrease the symptoms of dementia and forgetfulness.

 

Dosage

• Take Donecept by mouth with or without food as your doctor has advised, usually once every day just before bedtime. If you experience insomnia, talk to your doctor about switching to a morning dose.

 

Side effects

Donepezil 5mg, 10mg, 23mg tablets may cause various side effects that differ from person to person. All the major and minor side effects are mentioned below:

Common side effects: nausea, diarrhoea, not sleeping well, vomiting, muscle cramps, tiredness, not wanting to eat or having a poor appetite, bruising, weight loss, etc.

Serious side effects:

• Slow heart rate and fainting.
• Stomach ulcers and bleeding like heartburn, stomach pain that won’t go away, nausea or vomiting, blood in your vomit, or dark-coloured vomit that looks like coffee grounds can be seen.
• Bowel movements with stools that mostly look like black tar.
• Worsening of lung problems in people with asthma or other lung diseases can be seen easily.
• Trouble urinating.

 

Warnings

• It can be seen to cause a slow heart rate and fainting. You should call your doctor immediately if this happens. Risk of this may be higher if a person has heart problems.
• Donecept can increase stomach acid which might cause stomach bleeding. This risk is higher in people with a history of ulcers, and people who are on aspirin or drugs like NSAIDs. Tell your doctor if you have or had any of these issues in the past to avoid such risk.
• People with heart problems, kidney and liver problems and seizures should only take these medications under the guidance of their doctors.

For women who are breastfeeding, Aricept may cause side effects in a child who is breastfed. Talk to your doctor if you should avoid breastfeeding or stop taking this medicine.