Rivastigmine, An Alternative For Dementia

Rivastigmine is a drug used in the treatment of dementia, especially that associated with Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease.

Dementia manifests itself in a progressive loss of brain functions, such as memory, language, attention, orientation, etc. It can also be associated with other psychological symptoms, such as depression, anxiety or agitation. It usually leads to the inability to perform everyday tasks.

Disorders involving cognitive impairment are increasingly common in our world. This is mainly due to the increase in life expectancy as society is increasingly aging. For this reason, treatments that can improve the quality of life of patients continue to be investigated.

What is rivastigmine and how does it work?

Rivastigmine is an anticholinesterase drug. This means that it is an inhibitor of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, which is responsible for destroying acetylcholine. What these drugs do is increase the levels of this neurotransmitter or chemical messenger in the brain.

Acetylcholine is a substance that is closely related to memory and learning, as well as the maintenance of attention. It has an excitation function in the central nervous system. For many years, cognitive decline has been seen to be related to a decrease in this neurotransmitter.

Other acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are donepezil and galantamine, also currently used in the treatment of mild to moderate dementia. Specifically, rivastigmine also inhibits another enzyme called butyrylcholinesterase.

Use of rivastigmine in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s

The Alzheimer ‘s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that is the most common form of dementia  today. It is considered to be irreversible, so the treatments are symptomatic; they focus on slowing down and slowing the progression of the disease as much as possible.

Rivastigmine, as we have said, is used primarily for the treatment of dementia associated with Alzheimer’s disease. However, it is also used in other types of dementia, such as that caused by Parkinson’s disease.

As we have said, these diseases are irreversible and, at the moment, they have no cure. However, drugs, such as rivastigmine, have been shown to slow down its progress and improve the symptoms of cognitive deterioration associated with them, increasing the quality of life of patients.

Initially, rivastigmine was administered orally, either as capsules or as a solution. However, at present  the most common is to administer it in the form of transdermal patches. By using this last route, a more sustained drug level is achieved over time and a decrease in adverse effects.

For the drug to be effective, and more so in the case of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, it is very important to facilitate adherence to treatment for patients. In the case of patches, the administration is quite easy. A daily patch is used and the previous one needs to be removed before placing the next one on a different area of ​​the skin.

Side effects

Rivastigmine can cause gastrointestinal side effects, such as abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. Patients with a stomach ulcer or predisposition to it should be especially careful when using this medicine, as it can increase gastric secretions.

Another adverse reaction that can occur is a decrease in appetite, as well as a loss of body weight, insomnia, bradycardia and even dizziness. If the appearance of any of these effects or other unwanted ones is detected, it is necessary to consult with the doctor.

In the case of administration in the form of transdermal patches, local reactions may occur on the skin of the area. They are generally mild, but it is advisable to monitor them, since, if they do not disappear or become severe, it could be a dermatitis or an allergy.

The use of rivastigmine is not recommended in patients with asthma or COPD -Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-. Neither in those who have a predisposition to suffer a urinary obstruction, since these conditions could be aggravated.

A possible option to slow dementia

Rivastigmine is a drug used to treat dementia, especially Alzheimer’s disease. Although it does not reverse the disease, it has been shown to slow its progress and improve symptoms of cognitive decline.

It should not be administered without a prescription. It is important to stick to the prescribed dose, as an overdose can lead to serious effects. Likewise, the doctor’s instructions on the administration of the medicine should be followed.