1. About donepezil
Donepezil is a medication that helps with some varieties of dementia. It doesn’t remedy dementia. Nonetheless, it treats a few of the signs of Alzheimer’s illness, Parkinson’s illness or dementia with Lewy our bodies. It will possibly additionally assist with “combined dementia”. That is when you’ve a couple of kind of dementia.
Donepezil is obtainable on prescription solely. It comes as tablets, together with tablets that soften in your mouth, and as a liquid that you just drink.
2. Gwybodaeth allweddol
- Donepezil can assist with signs like being forgetful or confused.
- The most typical unwanted side effects of donepezil are diarrhoea, headache and feeling sick (nausea).
- You possibly can take it with or with out meals.
- Consuming alcohol stops donepezil from working in addition to it ought to. It additionally will increase the chance of unwanted side effects.
3. Who can and can’t take donepezil
Donepezil will be taken by adults solely.
Donepezil just isn’t appropriate for some folks. To ensure this medication is secure to take, inform your physician in the event you or the particular person you are caring for have:
- had an allergic response to donepezil or different medicines prior to now
- liver issues
- ever had an ulcer in your intestine or intestines, or a abdomen ulcer
- coronary heart issues, resembling an irregular or gradual heartbeat
- bronchial asthma or different lung illness resembling COPD
- ever had a seizure or match
- a situation that makes it tough to pee
4. Sut a phryd i'w gymryd
It is best to take your donepezil at bedtime. It’s because chances are you’ll really feel dizzy after you’re taking it.
If donepezil offers you unhealthy goals or makes it onerous to sleep, you may take it within the morning as a substitute.
Dos
- All the time observe the directions that include your medication.
- Donepezil comes as 5mg or 10mg tablets.
- If you’re taking liquid donepezil, a 5ml spoonful comprises 5mg of medication (1mg/1ml).
- The standard beginning dose of donepezil is 5mg (one pill or one 5ml spoonful of liquid), taken as soon as a day.
- After a month, the physician might enhance your dose to 10mg (one 10mg pill or two 5ml spoonfuls of liquid), taken as soon as a day.
How you can take the tablets
- Swallow the tablets with a drink of water.
- Donepezil additionally comes as a pill that melts in your mouth (referred to as an “orodispersible” pill).
- Put the pill in your tongue and let it dissolve. You possibly can then swallow it with no drink. You possibly can have a drink of water afterwards if you wish to.
How you can take the liquid
Use the plastic spoon that comes together with your medication to measure out your dose. When you should not have a measuring spoon ask a pharmacist for one. Don’t use a kitchen teaspoon because it won’t give the correct quantity.
Swallow the liquid donepezil. You possibly can have a drink of water afterwards in the event you like.
What if I overlook to take it?
- When you overlook a dose of donepezil, skip the missed dose and take the subsequent one on the regular time the subsequent day.
- Don’t take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.
- When you’ve forgotten to take your donepezil for greater than every week, speak to your physician earlier than you’re taking any extra.
- When you overlook doses typically, it could assist to set an alarm to remind you. You may additionally ask a health care provider, pharmacist or dementia help group for recommendation on different methods that can assist you keep in mind to take your medication.
What if I take an excessive amount of?
The quantity of donepezil that may trigger an overdose varies from individual to individual.
Pressing recommendation: Contact 111 for recommendation now if:
you’re taking greater than your typical dose of donepezil
Angen cynnig cyflym:
- You’ve got taken greater than your typical dose of donepezil and:
- you feel dizzy or sick, otherwise you’re being sick
- you are drooling or sweating loads
- you’ve a gradual coronary heart fee
- you are having respiratory issues
- you faint or have a seizure or match
If you want to go to A&E, don’t drive your self. Get another person to drive you or name for an ambulance. Take the donepezil packet, or the leaflet inside it, plus any remaining medication with you.
5. Effeithiau anfwriadol
Like all medicines, donepezil could cause unwanted side effects, though not everybody will get them.
Unintended effects are much less more likely to occur in case your physician begins you on the decrease 5mg dose for a minimum of a month.
Frequent unwanted side effects
The most typical unwanted side effects of donepezil occur in additional than 1 in 100 folks.
Speak to your physician or pharmacist if these unwanted side effects hassle you or don’t go away:
- diarrhoea
- feeling sick (nausea)
- headache
- feeling sleepy within the daytime or feeling dizzy
Sgîl-effeithiau critigol diangen
- Lower than 1 in 100 folks have severe unwanted side effects with donepezil.
- Name a health care provider right away in the event you, or the particular person you are caring for, have:
- yellow pores and skin or the whites of your eyes flip yellow, or in case you have pale poo and darkish pee – these will be indicators of liver issues
- extreme indigestion, heartburn or abdomen ache, extreme or continued vomiting – these will be indicators of an ulcer in your abdomen or intestine
- black poo, or blood or one thing that appears like espresso grounds in your vomit – these will be indicators of inside bleeding
- muscle weak point or cramps and pains in your muscular tissues (that you just didn’t have earlier than) – these can generally be indicators of muscle and kidney issues
- excessive temperature along with stiff muscular tissues, sweating, confusion and seeing or listening to issues that aren’t there – these will be indicators of a uncommon aspect impact (referred to as neuroleptic malignant syndrome)
Rapid motion required: Name 999 and ask for an ambulance if:
- you’ve had a seizure or match
- the particular person you are caring for has a seizure or match
Ymateb alergaidd critigol
In uncommon circumstances, it is doable to have a severe allergic response (anaphylaxis) to donepezil.
Angen cynnig cyflym:
- byddwch yn cael mandyllau a brech ar y croen a fydd yn cofleidio mandyllau a chroen coslyd, rhuddgoch, chwyddedig, pothellu neu blicio
- rydych chi'n gwichian
- rydych chi'n mynd yn dynn yn y frest neu'r gwddf
- rydych chi wedi trafferthu anadlu neu siarad
- eich ceg, wyneb, gwefusau, tafod neu wddf yn dechrau chwyddo
- Efallai eich bod yn cael adwaith alergaidd difrifol ac efallai y cewch feddyginiaeth gyflym yn yr ysbyty.
These should not all of the unwanted side effects of donepezil. For a full record see the leaflet inside your medicines packet.
Gwybodaeth:
Mae’n bosibl y gallwch roi gwybod am unrhyw effaith agwedd a amheuir i gynllun diogelwch y DU.
6. Sut i ddelio â sgil-effeithiau diangen
Beth i'w wneud am:
diarrhoea – drink a number of fluids, resembling water or squash, to keep away from dehydration. Indicators of dehydration embrace peeing lower than typical or having darkish strong-smelling pee. Don’t take another medicines to deal with diarrhoea, together with rehydration salts, with out first talking to a pharmacist or physician
feeling sick – it could assist to keep away from consuming very wealthy, fatty or spicy meals
headache – ensure you relaxation and drink loads of fluids. If it is bothering you, ask a pharmacist to suggest a painkiller. Speak to a health care provider in case your complications last more than every week or are extreme
feeling sleepy within the daytime or feeling dizzy – strive taking your medication at evening. When you really feel dizzy or drained don’t drive or journey a motorbike till you are feeling extra alert. Speak to a health care provider if these results hassle you, or don’t get higher
As your physique will get used to donepezil, these unwanted side effects ought to put on off. If you’re nonetheless bothered by them after every week or two, communicate to a health care provider. They could need to regulate your dose or suggest a distinct medication.
7. Cautions with different medicines
Some medicines don’t combine effectively with donepezil. They will enhance the chance of unwanted side effects or cease donepezil working in addition to it ought to.
Inform your physician in the event you or the particular person you are caring for:
- take medicines used for coronary heart issues like amiodarone, atenolol, bisoprolol, digoxin and verapamil
- take medicines for epilepsy, resembling phenytoin and carbamazepine
- take anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIDs), resembling aspirin (together with low-dose aspirin) or ibuprofen
- take risperidone, olanzapine or fluoxetine, or another medicines for psychological well being points
- take antibiotics, resembling erythromycin or rifampicin
- are on account of have common or native anaesthetic (for an operation or a minor process)
- These should not all of the medicines that intrude with donepezil.
- For a full record, see the leaflet inside your medicines packet.
Taking donepezil with painkillers
It’s often OK to take paracetamol with donepezil.
Don’t take anti-inflammatory painkillers (NSAIDs), resembling aspirin or ibuprofen, with out checking with a health care provider first.
Mixing donepezil with natural medicines and dietary supplements
St John’s wort can decrease the degrees of donepezil in your blood. This will cease your medication from working in addition to it ought to.
Angenrheidiol
Rhowch wybod i ddarparwr gofal iechyd neu fferyllydd os ydych chi'n cymryd meddyginiaethau eraill, ynghyd â thriniaethau naturiol, fitaminau maethol neu atchwanegiadau dietegol.
8. Frequent questions
Sut mae'n gweithio?
Donepezil works by serving to your nerve cells talk with one another. It does this by stopping one thing referred to as acetylcholine from being damaged down in your mind. Acetylcholine is a vital substance that enables nerves to speak.
Donepezil doesn’t remedy dementia. Nonetheless, by rising the quantity of acetylcholine in your mind, donepezil can assist with signs like:
- forgetting current conversations and the place you set issues
- forgetting methods to do issues, like making a cup of tea
- considering slowly, for instance taking longer to answer to what somebody says
- discovering it extra obscure difficult issues, like managing cash
- feeling anxious
- not desirous to do issues
- It doesn’t appear to assist with signs like being agitated or aggressive.
Beneficial studying
Discover out extra about how medicine like donepezil work on the Alzheimer’s Society web site
Sefyllfaoedd cysylltiedig
- Alzheimer’s illness
- Dementia with Lewy our bodies
- Parkinson’s illness
