Dementia and Cognitive Health Medicines
Dementia and cognitive health are closely connected, but they do not mean the same thing. Cognitive health describes how well the brain helps a person remember, learn, focus, communicate and make decisions. Dementia is a group of conditions that causes these abilities to decline enough to affect everyday life.
Occasional forgetfulness does not always mean dementia. Sleep problems, stress, depression, medicine side effects and certain health conditions can also affect memory and concentration.
What is cognitive health?
Cognitive health includes memory, attention, language, reasoning, problem-solving and decision-making. These abilities may change slightly with age. It may take longer to remember a name or learn something new, but normal ageing should not make everyday tasks impossible.
Problems with cognitive health may be linked to:
Poor sleep or long-term stress
Depression or anxiety
Vitamin B12 or thyroid problems
Hearing or vision loss
Infection or dehydration
Stroke or head injury
Alcohol or substance use
Side effects from medicines
Mild cognitive impairment causes more noticeable problems than normal ageing, but a person may still manage most daily activities. It does not always progress to dementia.
What is Dementia?
Dementia is not one disease. It is a general term for conditions that gradually affect memory, thinking, behaviour and independence.
Common types include:
Alzheimer’s disease, which usually begins with worsening memory and learning problems.
Vascular dementia, which develops after reduced blood flow or damage to blood vessels in the brain.
Lewy body dementia, which may cause changes in alertness, movement problems, sleep disturbance and hallucinations.
Frontotemporal dementia, which often affects behaviour, personality or language.
Mixed dementia, where more than one type is present.
Dementia is not a normal part of ageing. A medical assessment is needed to identify the type and rule out other possible causes.
Dementia symptoms
Possible dementia symptoms include:
Repeating the same questions
Forgetting recent events or conversations
Becoming lost in familiar places
Difficulty finding the right words
Problems managing money or medicines
Poor judgement or unsafe decisions
Changes in mood, behaviour or personality
Difficulty preparing food, dressing or washing
Losing track of time, people or places
Sudden confusion is not typical gradual dementia. It may be caused by an infection, stroke, medicine reaction or another urgent condition.
How are memory problems diagnosed?
There is no single test for every form of dementia. A healthcare professional may review symptoms, medicines and medical history. Memory and thinking tests, blood tests, brain scans and physical examinations may also be needed.
Family members or caregivers can provide useful information about changes in behaviour and daily activities. Diagnosis matters because dementia treatment depends on the cause and stage.
Common Dementia and Cognitive Health Medicines
Different medicines have different purposes. Some are prescribed to manage symptoms of a diagnosed form of dementia. Others may be used for cognitive or neurological support in selected cases. The active ingredient, diagnosis and medical history should be considered before treatment begins.
ARICEP 5MG and ARICEP 10MG contain donepezil. Donepezil may help manage memory, thinking and daily-function symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
GALAMER 4MG and GALAMER 8MG contain galantamine. Galantamine is generally prescribed for mild to moderate dementia associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
RIVAMER 1.5MG contains rivastigmine. Rivastigmine may be used for Alzheimer’s dementia and dementia associated with Parkinson’s disease.
CITICOHEAL 500MG contains citicoline. Citicoline is used for selected cognitive and neurological conditions in some countries. Its approved uses and supporting evidence vary by location.
PIM 800MG contains piracetam. Piracetam is used for selected neurological conditions in certain countries. It should not be presented as a replacement for approved dementia medicines.
These medicines are not interchangeable. The correct treatment depends on the cause of the cognitive problem, its severity, other health conditions and the medicines already being taken.
Supporting cognitive health
Daily care remains important whether a person has dementia, mild cognitive impairment or another memory problem. Helpful measures may include regular physical activity, balanced meals, good sleep, hearing care and social contact.
Managing blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol may help protect blood vessels in the brain. A medicine review can also identify products that may worsen sleepiness, confusion or memory.
Medicine precautions
Donepezil, galantamine and rivastigmine may cause nausea, diarrhoea, reduced appetite, dizziness, slow heart rate or fainting. Memantine may cause dizziness, headache or constipation. Side effects from citicoline and piracetam depend on the person, dose and other medicines being used.
Tell the prescriber about heart rhythm problems, stomach ulcers, seizures, kidney or liver disease and all current medicines. Never start, stop or change a cognitive medicine without medical advice.
Seek urgent help for sudden confusion, facial weakness, slurred speech, loss of consciousness, a seizure or a severe allergic reaction.