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Recently Published Long-Term Study Finds Combination Therapy Slows The Advancement of Alzheimer's Disease
Combination Therapy Likely To Delay Nursing Home Admittance

Posted 8/5/2010

Recently Published Long-Term Study Finds Combination Therapy Slows The Advancement of Alzheimer's Disease

(NAPSI) - A recent study finds that combination therapy with the medications Namenda and a cholinesterase inhibitor seems to slow the advancement of Alzheimer's disease. Published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, and funded by the National Institute on Aging and the National Institutes of Health, the study shows that the benefits of the two medications are most evident over the long term.

Patients in this first-of-its-kind study who took the two medications were able to live independently for a longer period, meaning the benefits of these two medications are most evident over the long term. "In fact, patients were seven times less likely to be placed in a nursing home compared to patients who received a cholinesterase inhibitor alone," says Dr. Oscar Lopez, M.D., professor of neurology at the University of Pittsburgh and lead study author.

This is encouraging news for patients, and also for caregivers, who provide an average of 21.9 hours of unpaid care per week. Almost 11 million Americans, primarily family members, take on the role of unpaid caregiver for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease or other dementia.

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disorder characterized by problems with memory, thinking and behavior that eventually become severe enough to affect work, lifelong hobbies and social life. Every 70 seconds, someone in the U.S. develops the disease, and by 2050, someone will develop Alzheimer's disease every 33 seconds.

There are two categories of Alzheimer's disease medications approved by the FDA. A category called cholinesterase inhibitors includes three drugs (Aricept, Exelon and Razadyne). Only one drug, Namenda, belongs to the other category of medicines called NMDA receptor antagonists. Previous studies have demonstrated that treating patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease with combination therapy of Namenda and Aricept may yield important benefits, including improvements in a patient's behavior and ability to perform daily activities, as well as a slower decline of memory and thinking.

"Our study showed that combination therapy with Namenda plus a cholinesterase inhibitor helped Alzheimer's disease patients to stay at home longer compared to individuals who never used medication, and to those who were taking only cholinesterase inhibitors," says Dr. Lopez, "These benefits may be why patients taking combination therapy were able to delay entering a nursing home."

The new information from this study builds on previous data pointing to combination therapy as the "new standard of care" for moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's disease patients.

Remember, if you suspect your loved one may have Alzheimer's disease, it's important to see a doctor for a proper evaluation and diagnosis. Timely diagnosis allows care and treatment to begin as soon as possible. Although there is no cure for Alzheimer's disease, there are effective treatments approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), which can be used alone or in combination, to slow the progression of disease symptoms.

For more information about Alzheimer's disease care, visit www.alz.org.

NAMENDA® (memantine hydrochloride) is indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease. NAMENDA is available by prescription only.

Important Risk Information About NAMENDA

Who should NOT take NAMENDA?

NAMENDA should not be taken by anyone who is allergic to NAMENDA or has had a bad reaction to NAMENDA or any of its components.

What should be discussed with the health care provider before taking NAMENDA?

Before starting NAMENDA, talk to the health care provider about:

• All of the patient's medical conditions, including kidney or liver problems. In patients with severe kidney problems, the dose of NAMENDA may need to be reduced

• All prescription or over-the-counter medications the patient is taking or planning to take

• The recommended dosing and administration of NAMENDA

What are the possible side effects of NAMENDA?

The most common side effects associated with NAMENDA treatment are dizziness, confusion, headache and constipation. This is not a complete list of side effects.