Expert: Paula Damgaard - 11/26/2004

Question
What are the latest trends and technologies for the treatment of alzheimer's?  What market approach do health care professionals use to provide better quality of care for alzheimer's patients'.

Answer
Dear Tahoney,  I am not quite sure what you are asking, but I will give it a shot.  Right now the only medical treatments are the four medications that have been approved by the FDA, those being Cognex (tacrine)[not currently used now due to problems with patients having increase liver enzymes], Aricept (donepezil), Exelon (rivistigmine) [one of the lesser used, due to side effects of nausea and vomiting], Reminyl (galantamine)and the latest approved, Namenda (which was approved by the FDA for use with mid to severe Alzheimer's patients.  

As far as "market approach" again I am not too sure what you mean.  There isn't any specific approach that every health care professional uses. There are many different ideas, Naomi Feil uses validation, then there is the Eden way of living, and then there are those that use a combination.  

I hope this answers your question, please feel free to write back and ask again!  Happy Thanksgiving.  Paula