- Used to treat the dementia symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease
Exolon is the brand name for the generic drug Rivastigmine and it is manufactured by Novartis. It is available as capsules, oral solution as well as patches. The capsules come in strengths of 1.5 mg, 3 mg, 4.5 mg and 6 mg, the solution comes in a strength of 2 mg/mL and the patches in the size of 5 sq cm which has a strength of 9 mg and a 10 sq cm patch which has a strength of 18 mg.
Indications
This drug is indicated for the symptoms of dementia in mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.
Action
This drug is a cholinesterase inhibitor and it prevents the nerve cells in the brain from degenerating. It does this by preventing the breaking down of the chemical acetylcholine. This chemical is necessary for the memory, reasoning and learning abilities of the brain. Alzheimer’s patients have lower levels of this chemical and this drug works on the brain by increasing the amount of this chemical. When this happens, the increase in the chemical increases the interaction of the brain cells. However, this medication does not cure the disease as natural degeneration of the nerve cells will take place. What it does is to stall the progressive degeneration of the nerve cells and slow it down.
Side Effects
The people looking after the patient must be warned about the side effects. In most cases, there will be nausea and vomiting initially and while for some it could be mild, for others, it could be severe. There could also be headache, heartburn, stomach upsets, dizziness and tiredness. Some people lose their appetite and lose weight. As the treatment progresses, most of the side effects disappear. However, there could be a few who have serious side effects like fainting, seizures, irregular heartbeat and confusion. The doctor will have to be called immediately. When it comes to the patches, they deliver the medication in a very steady manner and not all at once so the likelihood of side effects is much less. The patient gets the right dosage because he isn’t throwing it up, though patches too could have mild side effects. In some patients, the area where the patch is placed becomes red, irritated and swollen. This will necessitate switching to the capsules.
Caution
The patient’s full medical history must be given to the doctor. This should include any illnesses that he has gone through, the medications that were prescribed, any current ailments and what medication he is on. Diabetes, cardiac, liver and kidney complaints, high blood pressure, stomach ulcers, respiratory ailments or seizures should be spoken about to the doctor as this drug could be dangerous for patients with these conditions. The vitamins and supplements that he might be on should also be listed as well as substances like aspirin. The doctor will want to know about any allergies to medicines or any foods. He will also ask about alcohol and drug abuse and whether there was a history of smoking.
Contradictions
The drug should be avoided by people who have certain ailments like the ones listed above and this is why a very thorough and detailed medical history is essential. If the drug has to be prescribed, the care giver has to be educated about the possible side effects and what to do in case of an emergency. Though the drug is contraindicated in some of these conditions, with close monitoring according to the doctor’s instructions, the benefits of this drug can be experienced. You should follow the dosages prescribed by the doctor scrupulously and not change the dosage unless he tells you to. Do not try and make up a dose if you miss one but call the doctor and ask him what to do. Do not stop the medication abruptly unless the doctor advises. The capsules must be had with food and the patches should be changed in 24 hours.