One of the most difficult things for patients who have Alzheimer’s disease to accept is that the disease has no cure and no medicine has been shown to slow the progression of the disease itself. However, there are medications that can help to improve the mental and physical functioning of people who have developed Alzheimer’s disease.

The Benefits of Medications

Taking medications early enough in the onset of Alzheimer’s disease can help to improve the intellectual functioning of patients. They can also help patients to deal with the more severe effects of Alzheimer’s disease, including depression, sleeplessness, and behavioral changes and problems. Along with thorough medical and social planning, such as having checks directly deposited instead of having to remember to do so and maintaining consistent doctor’s visits, medications can help patients to regain some degree of self-sufficiency, even if they must still rely on caregivers.

When determining which treatment drugs are right for patients, doctors will base their decisions on the patient’s age, family history, current health, and how far the disease has progressed already. Depending on the last factor, the doctor may prescribe a treatment that is best for mild to moderate symptoms. If the disease has progressed farther, the doctor may prescribe a stronger drug designed to treat the moderate to severe symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Treatment programs must also be designed around the patient’s preference for drug treatment and his tolerance for the medications that will be prescribed.

The medications used to treat Alzheimer’s disease have side effects similar to other popularly prescribed medications, and they are generally mild. Separate medications may be prescribed to treat the agitation faced by some patients with the disease. Scientists have also proposed a vaccine to treat and attempt to prevent the disease, but success in developing the vaccine has been severely limited. Due to the complexity of the disease, patients may need to experiment with their doctors until they find the right method of treatment for them. Some patients may also need additional treatment to deal with the troubling mental aspects that come with the disease, like dementia and depression.