- Used to treat the dementia symptoms in Alzheimer’s
- Also used to treat Lewy Body disease
Razadyne is the brand name of the generic drug Galantamine and it is manufactured by Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. It is available in tablets that are film-coated and as a solution. The tablets are available in strengths of 4 mg which are off-white, 8 mg which are pink and 12 mg which are orange-brown. They all come in bottles of 60 tablets each. The oral solution comes in a100 mL bottle and the strength is 4 mg/mL.
Indications
This drug is used to treat the mild to moderate symptoms of Alzheimer’s dementia and it is sometimes used to treat diffuse Lewy Body disease.
Action
While the precise action of this drug cannot be defined, it is believed to be an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor and it increases the acetylcholine concentration in the brain which in turn prevents the loss of memory, reasoning and learning. This slows down the progressive degeneration of the disease. Once the balance of these neurotransmitters in the brain is restored, the nerve cells communicate better and the degeneration is so much slower. In many of the patients who take this drug, the onset of the disease is slowed down by as much as six to twelve months.
Side Effects
Most of these Alzheimer’s drugs will have some side effects but they are usually mild and disappear in a few days once the patient has got used to it. There could be stomach upsets, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, irritability, loss of appetite and weight loss. This drug is usually well tolerated by most patients and the positive effects are seen as soon as the side effects begin to pass, which could be in a few days. However, there are cases when the side effects could be serious in some patients and this will need medical attention at once. The patient’s caregiver must be warned about this eventuality and must know the number to call in an emergency.
Caution
Your doctor will need a full medical history about the patient and it will need to include illnesses both past and present and the medication that was or is being given. He will also ask about any other substances that are given like supplements, vitamins or even tablets like aspirin. He will want to know about any addictions – drug, alcohol or tobacco and also if the person has had a history of depression, diabetes, stomach ulcers, cardiac, kidney or liver complaints. This drug can slow the heart rate down in certain patients and this could be dangerous so care should be taken.
Contraindications
This drug is contraindicated if the patient is allergic to this class of drugs. The use of aspirin or NSAIDs should be avoided while taking this drug. Certain medications could react with this drug so care must be taken to inform the doctor about any medication that is being used. Dosages must be strictly adhered to and it must be impressed upon the caregiver how important it is to follow dosages and timings. No change in this should be made unless the doctor asks you to.