2006 - More Evidence Alzheimer's Drug Works
(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A new study conducted at New York University School of Medicine reveals the Alzheimer's drug, memantine, is safe and effective.
Researchers tested the cognitive abilities of 175 Alzheimer's patients who took memantine for an additional 24 weeks following another study in which half of the patients received memantine and the others received a placebo. They say memantine appeared to slow cognitive impairment and improve the daily living activities, even in patients who took a placebo in the earlier trial.
Barry Reisberg, M.D., lead author of the study says, "The benefits of memantine seen in the double-blind phase were again observed when patients treated with the placebo were switched to memantine treatment in the open extension."
Jeffrey L. Cummings, M.D., UCLA School of Medicine in Los Angeles, believes the findings underscore the benefits of the drug.
"These new data from Reisberg and coworkers provide additional reassurance to prescribing physicians that long-term use of memantine is safe, continues to have a low rate of adverse effects and may have continuing beneficial clinical effects," says Dr. Cummings.
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to ivanhoe.com.
SOURCE: Archives of Neurology, 2006;63:49-54 |
