Namenda (Memantine)

Namenda (Memantine) Medication Information:

What is Namenda?

Namenda is a prescription medicine used to treat dementia in people with Alzheimer’s disease. It belongs to a class of drugs NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) inhibitors and contains the active ingredient memantine hydrochloride. Namenda blocks the NMDA receptors and reduces the production of chemical glutamate in the brain that is linked to symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.

Uses and Benefits of Namenda:

Namenda is used alone or with other medications to treat moderate to severe dementia in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Namenda helps to improve the patient's memory, decision-making, thinking ability, and quality of life. It can improve or slow the progression of symptoms but can not cure Alzheimer's disease.

Side Effects of Namenda:

Patients taking Namenda may experience some common side effects, including:

• Dizziness
• Diarrhea or Constipation.
• Headache
• Confusion
• Fatigue
• Body pain
• Vomiting

The medicine may also cause adverse side effects, including:

• Severe headache.
• Eye problems such as blurred vision.
• Sleep problems.
• Seizure
• Hallucination
• Sudden and unusual changes in mood and behavior.
• Shortness of breath.
• Skin rash, Itching.
• Swelling of the face, tongue, or throat.
• Severe dizziness.

How to take Namenda?

Namenda comes in the form of film-coated tablets in two different strengths: 5mg and 10mg. The tablets can be taken orally with or without food as directed by your doctor. The initial recommended dose of Namenda is 5 mg once a day.

The dose is increased at intervals of 1 week in 5mg increments. The doctor may increase the dose to 10mg a day (5mg twice daily), 15mg a day (5mg and 10mg doses), and 20mg a day (10mg twice daily) based on the condition of the patient.

Always take the medication at the same time for maximum benefits. If you miss a dose of Namenda, take the next dose at the normal time. Do not take two tablets at the same time. If you fail to take tablets for many days, you need to start with the low doses and increase the dose gradually.

Namenda Drug Interactions:

Namenda may interact with other drugs, especially:

• Drugs that make urine alkaline such as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, and sodium bicarbonate.
• Other NMDA antagonists such as amantadine, ketamine, and dextromethorphan.

Safety Information:

• Do not take Namenda tablets if you are allergic to any of its ingredients such as memantine hydrochloride.
• The medicine should be used with caution in patients with severe kidney or liver impairment.
• Before you start the medicine, tell your doctor if you have had health conditions including seizures, urination problems, bladder, kidney, or liver disorders.
• Talk to your doctor about the safety of Namenda if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. It is not clear if Namenda causes harm to the unborn baby or passes into your breast milk.
• Do not drive or use heavy machines just after taking the medicines as it can make you dizzy.
• Limit alcoholic beverages while taking Namenda.

References:

• https://www.rxlist.com/namenda-drug.htm
• https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-77936/namenda-oral/details
• https://media.allergan.com/actavis/actavis/media/allergan-pdf-documents/product-prescribing/Final-Clean-Namenda-USPI.pdf