Alzheimer's Disease Meds Flashcards
1
Q
What is Alzheimer’s disease?
A
- Its a type of Dementia disease.
2
Q
What are the causes of Dementia?
A
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Trauma.
- Genetics.
- Toxicity.
- Parkinson’s disease.
- Frontal Temperal Dementia.
- Infection.
3
Q
The Hippocampus is involved with?
A
- Memory.
- Learning.
4
Q
Alzheimer’s disease is associated with the build-up of?
A
- Plaques
- Tangles
5
Q
What happens when the neurons of an Alzheimer’s patient dies, there is a?
A
- Deficit of Acetylcholine.
- Too much Glutamate (Causes toxicity in the brain).
6
Q
Signs and symptoms of Mild stage of Alzheimer’s disease?
A
- Short-term memory loss.
- Confusion.
- Loss of self management skills (they can clean like they used to).
7
Q
Signs and symptoms of Moderate stage of Alzheimer’s disease?
A
- Wandering alot.
- Emotional instability.
- Confabulation (The brain creates a memory that it can’t find)
8
Q
Signs and symptoms of Sever stage of Alzheimer’s disease?
A
- Loss of the ability to :-
- Eat.
* Speak.
* Understand language.
* Ambulate.
* Control elimination.
- Eat.
9
Q
Medications that treat Alzheimer’s disease?
A
- Cholinesterase inhibitors (Donepezil).
- Memantine.
- Atypical antipsychotics (Risperidone, Olanzapine).
10
Q
Facts about Donepezil?
A
- Its a Cholinesterase inhibitor.
- It is treats all stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
- It primarily works in the brain.
- Low risks
- Its cheap
- It the only Cholinesterase inhibitor that crosses the Blood Brain Barrier, thats why it works in the brain).
11
Q
How does Donepezil work?
A
- It is a Cholinesterase inhibitor, which means it blocks the Cholinesterase that breaks down the Acetylcholine hence increasing the Acetylcholine levels in the brains. (This temporarily improves the clients memory).
12
Q
High yield concepts of Donepezil?
A
- Bradycardia & Syncope (fainting).
- Drug interactions (Avoid TCA, Antihistamines, Oxybutynin).
- Cholinergic effects (GI issues is the most common issue).
- Realistic Expectations (the meds dont stop or even slow down the disease so we should not give the Pt false hopes).
13
Q
How does Memantine work?
A
- It treats only two stages of Alzheimer’s disease (Moderate & severe Alzheimer’s).
- It helps regulate the Glutamate levels in the brains.
(Since an Alzheimer’s Pt has too much Glutamate in their brain).
14
Q
High yield concepts of Memantine?
A
- Its is well tolerated.
