- Used to treat the moderate to severe symptoms of dementia in Alzheimer’s
- Used to treat vascular dementia
Namenda XR is the brand name for the generic drug Memantine and it is manufactured by Forest Laboratories. The XR stands for extended release and this brand is available in capsules as well as a kit. The capsules come in strengths of 7 mg, 14 mg, 21 mg and 28 mg. The 7 mg capsules are an opaque yellow, the 14 mg capsules are an opaque yellow and dark green, the 21 mg capsules are an opaque white and dark green and the 28 mg capsules are an opaque dark green. The kit has 28 capsules, 7 of each of the strengths.
Indications
This drug is indicated in the moderate to severe dementia symptoms of Alzheimer’s as well as in vascular dementia.
Action
The drug is a part of a class of drugs that is used mainly for Alzheimer’s treatment called acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. It is an NMDA or N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist and it is believed to block any excessive transition of glutamate, which is a neurotransmitter in the brain. Research seems to indicate that an excess of glutamate in the brain could cause the malfunctioning of nerve cells and this results in the cells dying.
Side Effects
This drug does have side effects but most of them disappear within a few days of use once the patient’s body has got used to the drug. Most of the side effects are mild, like nausea, insomnia, stomach upsets, constipation, weight loss and loss of appetite, tiredness or anxiety. Some patients, however, experience serious side effects and these could be depression, seizures, high blood pressure, dizziness, a lack of co-ordination, hallucinations, confusion, chest pain or difficulty in breathing.
Caution
The doctor will need to know the patient’s full medical history before he can prescribe. So you will need to list out the patient’s illnesses and what medication he is taking for them. Some drugs do interact with this drug so it will have to be avoided or extreme care will have to be taken. The doctor will also want to know about any past ailments and what medication or procedures were followed. You will need to tell him about the vitamins and supplements that he is being given and any other medication that is being given to him if necessary, like aspirin. The doctor will also want to know about any history of drug, tobacco or alcohol use. There are people who can be allergic to this drug so you need to tell the doctor about any allergies to medication or food if possible.
Contraindications
This drug is contraindicated in patients who are allergic to memantine. The caregiver must be told that escalation of the doses must be followed precisely and the right dose must be given at the right time. This drug should be avoided by people who have a history of seizures or hepatic or urinary complications. Care should be taken not to change dosages or to stop the medication abruptly without the doctor’s advice. If the patient is already on Namenda, when changing over to the extended release capsules, care should be taken to follow the doctor’s instructions strictly.