Dementia is a condition characterized by a chronic decline in mental abilities or cognitive functions such as memory, thinking, learning, reasoning, and language.
Currently, there is no cure for dementia. The goal of dementia treatment is to control the symptoms of dementia and improve their quality of life. Although dementia is incurable, but there are some drugs that can help to delay the progression of the disease and relieve certain symptoms.
The type of medication prescribed will depend on the condition causing dementia and stages of the disease.
For people with mild or moderate dementia, drugs like donepezil, galantamine, and rivastigmine, may help in slowing the progression of dementia. If you have severe dementia, memantine may be prescribed to treat the disease by regulating the amount of glutamate, a chemical messenger in the brain which plays a role in many vital brain functions, including learning and memory.
If you have vascular dementia, your GP may prescribe the following drugs to reduce your risk of having a stroke.
- Aspirin
- Cholesterol-lowering medications such as statins
- Medication to lower high blood pressure
Your GP may also prescribe you other medicines if you have anxiety or depression. For example, if you have depression, you will be prescribed antidepressant medicines called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or a selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor.
All of these medicines have side effects like nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and indigestion. So it is important to follow your healthcare provider’s directions when taking any of this medicine.
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