Aricept

Aricept is used for:

Treating dementia (eg, impairment of memory, judgment, and abstract thinking; changes in personality) in patients with Alzheimer disease.

Aricept is a cholinesterase inhibitor. It works by increasing the amount of a certain substance (acetylcholine) in the brain, which may help reduce the symptoms of dementia in patients with Alzheimer disease.

Do NOT use Aricept if:

• you are allergic to any ingredient in Aricept

Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.

Before using Aricept :

Some medical conditions may interact with Aricept . Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:

• if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding
• if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement
• if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances
• if you have a history of certain heart problems (eg, slow or irregular heartbeat, sick sinus syndrome), stomach or bowel problems (eg, ulcer, blockage), lung or breathing problems (eg, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD]), or urinary blockage
• if you have brain lesions or tumors, increased pressure in the brain, recent head injury, or a history of seizures (eg, epilepsy)
• if you have Parkinson disease or metabolism problems

Some MEDICINES MAY INTERACT with Aricept . Tell your health care provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (eg, ibuprofen) because the risk of stomach or bowel bleeding may be increased
• Cholinergic agents (eg, bethanechol), cholinesterase inhibitors (eg, galantamine), or ketoconazole because they may increase the risk of Aricept 's side effects
• Carbamazepine, dexamethasone, phenobarbital, phenytoin, or rifampin because they may decrease Aricept 's effectiveness
• Anticholinergics (eg, scopolamine) because their effectiveness may be decreased by Aricept

This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Aricept may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.