How helpful is the drug Aricept with memory loss in stroke?
Aricept is a medication that has been approved for use in Alzheimer’s disease. It acts by increasing the level of a naturally occurring chemical neurotransmitter, acetylcholine. Its effectiveness in Alzheimer’s disease has been modest, with a minority of patients experiencing a minor improvement in mental functioning. Its use in stroke is less well studied. Some doctors have begun to try it in the setting of dementia due to multiple small strokes, but no one has reported major benefit in this setting. Fortunately, the drug itself seems relatively free of serious side effects.
