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NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Friday, March 19, 2010
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NetWellness provides the highest quality health information and education services created and evaluated by faculty of our partner universities.
Friday, March 19, 2010
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Donepezil (Aricept®): start with 5 mg/day; increase to 10 mg after four weeks
Side effects: nausea; diarrhea; poor appetite
Galantamine (Razadyne®ER): start with 8 mg a day; increase by 8 mg every four weeks up to 24 mg a day.
Side effects: nausea; diarrhea; poor appetite
Memantine (Namenda®): start with 5 mg a day; increase by 5 mg a week up to 10 mg twice a day.
Side effects: headache, dizziness, confusion
Rivastigmine Exelon®): start with 4.6 mg/24 hour patch daily; increase to 9.5 mg/24 hour patch daily in 4 weeks.
Side effects: nausea; diarrhea; poor appetite
Bupropion Wellbutrin® ): 75 - 300 SR mg/day in two divided doses or 150 – 300 XL mg once a day
Side effects: agitation; anxiety; seizures; restlessness; insomnia; arrhythmia
Citalopram (Celexa®): 10 - 60 mg/day
Side effects: nausea; dry mouth; sedation
Clomipramine (Anafranil®): 50 – 250 mg/day in two divided doses
Side effects: sedation; seizures; weight gain; sexual dysfunction
Escitalopram (Lexapro®): 10 – 20 mg/day
Side effects: nausea, dry mouth; sedation
Fluoxetine (Prozac®): 10 - 40 mg/day
Side effects: anxiety; insomnia; nausea; weight loss; tremor
Fluvoxamine (Luvox): 50 - 300 mg/day in two divided doses
Side effects: nausea; insomnia; sedation
Mirtazepine (Remeron®): 15 - 30 mg at night
Side effects: sedation; weight gain; dry mouth
Nortriptyline (Aventyl®): 25 - 75 mg/day. Be sure to have doctor check the patient's blood plasma levels.
Side effects: dry mouth; confusion; constipation; sedation; light-headedness
Paroxetine (Paxil®): start with 10 - 40 mg/day
Side effects: insomnia; nausea; anxiety
Sertraline (Zoloft®): 50 - 200 mg/day
Side effects: insomnia; diarrhea; tremor
Trazodone (Deseryl): 50 - 300 mg at night
Side effects: sedation; light-headedness
Venlafaxine (Effexor®): 37.5 - 150 XR mg/day
Side effects: nausea; sedation
Aripiprazole (Abilify®): 5 to 15 mg/day.
Side effects: activation; sedation
Clozapine (Clozaril®): 6.25 - 200 mg/day in one or two doses. Must get weekly white blood counts.
Side effects: severely low white blood count; light headedness; confusion; dry mouth; sedation; constipation
Haloperidol (Haldol®) : 0.25 - 2 mg/day. Gradually increase this dose. Use sparingly only for severe agitation.
Side effects: Parkinson's Disease symptoms; sedation; falling; abnormal movements
Olanzepine (Zyprexa®): 2.5 - 10 mg/day
Side effects: sedation; light headedness; confusion; dry mouth; constipation
Quetiapine (Seroquel®): 12.5 - 200 mg/day in two divided doses
Side effects: sedation; light headedness
Risperidone (Risperdal®): 0.5 - 2 mg/day in two divided doses
Side effects: sedation; Parkinson's Disease symptoms
Ziprasidone (Geodon®): 20 – 160 mg/day in two divided doses
Side effects: irregular heart beat; sedation; Parkinson's Disease symptoms
Aspirin: 81 - 325 mg every day
Side effects: excessive bleeding; stomach irritation
Clopidogrel (Plavix®): 75 mg every day
Side effects: stomach irritation; rash; bleeding
Ticlopidine (Ticlid®): 250 mg twice a day. Blood tests required every two weeks for six weeks
Side effects: May cause a decrease in the number of neutrophils - a type of immune cell - in blood
Buspirone (BuSpar®): 10 - 60 mg/day in divided doses
Side effects: dizziness; nausea; headache
Carbamazepine (Tegretol®): 200 – 800 mg/day in three divided doses
Side effects: confusion, imbalanced gait; nausea; low white blood counts
Cimetidine (Tagamet®): 100 – 300 mg four times a day
Side effects: headaches; diarrhea
Divalproex sodium (Valproic Acid): 125 - 1500 mg/day in three divided doses or 250 – 1500 ER mg once a day
Side effects: nausea; sedation; liver toxicity (rare); inflammation of the pancreas
Gabapentin (Neurontin®): 100 – 600 mg/day in two divided doses
Side effects: sedation; imbalanced gait; confusion
Lamotrigine (Lamictal®): 50 – 500 mg/day in two divided doses
Side effects: rash; liver or kidney failure; arthritis
Lorazepam (Ativan®): 0.5 - 2 mg every day in divided doses. Use sparingly only for severe agitation
Side effects: confusion; sedation; uninhibited behavior; abnormal movements; anxiety if taking the drug is stopped
Melatonin: 1 – 9 mg/day
Side effects: sleepiness
Propranolol (Inderal®): 40 - 320 mg/day
Side effects: slowed heart beat (less than 60 beats/minute); low blood pressure
Zolpidem (Ambien®): 5 - 10 mg at night.
Side effects: daytime drowsiness; dizziness; headache
This article is a NetWellness exclusive. 
Last Reviewed: May 27, 2009
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Douglas W. Scharre, MD Associate Professor of Clinical Neurology Memory Disorders Clinic Department of Neurology College of Medicine The Ohio State University |
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Please note: only your personal physician or other health professional you consult can best advise you on matters of your health based on your medical history, your family medical history, your medication history, and how information from any of these databases may apply to you. Neither University of Cincinnati (NetWellness) nor any party involved in creating, producing or delivering this web site shall be liable for any damages arising out of access to or use of this web site, or any errors or omissions in the content thereof. (More) 
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