Namenda

Bertroche & Associates

Namenda

A Brief Overview

NAMENDA (memantine)

J. Patrick Bertroche, D.O.

Steven R. Morris, MS-III

GUIDE:

1. What is Namenda?

2. What is the most important information I should know about Namenda?

3. What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking Namenda?

4. How should I take Namenda?

5. What happens if I miss a dose?

6. What happens if I overdose?

7. What should I avoid while taking Namenda?

8. What are the possible side effects of Namenda?

9. What other drugs will affect Namenda?

10. Where can I get more information?

11. What are the different dosages of Namenda?

WHAT IS NAMENDA?

· Namenda is the first in a class of medications that function via blocking a specific receptor in the brain called the NMDA receptor. It is thought that by blocking the NMDA receptor from overexcitation caused by neurotransmitters (tiny brain messengers), physicians can slow down the effects of many diseases that cause brain cell injury and death.

· Namenda has only been approved for use in the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimers. In spite of this, physcians and scientists are seeing promising results from Namenda in treating such diseases as Autism, OCD, and ADHD.

INFORMATION ABOUT NAMENDA:

· Before using Namenda, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have a seizure disorder, cataracts, liver or kidney disease, or a bladder or kidney infection.

· Namenda can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

BEFORE TAKING NAMENDA:

· Do not use Namenda if you are allergic to memantine.

· Before using Namenda, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:

o epilepsy or other seizure disorder;

o cataracts;

o liver disease;

o kidney disease; or

o a bladder or kidney infection.

· If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take Namenda.

· FDA pregnancy category B. Namenda is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. It is not known whether Namenda passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use Namenda without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

HOW SHOULD I TAKE NAMENDA?

· Take Namenda exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

· Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results from Namenda.

· Take this medicine with a full glass of water.

· Namenda can be taken with or without food.

· The liquid (oral solution) form of this medication comes with patient instructions for safe and effective use. Follow these directions carefully. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.

· Do not mix the oral solution with any other liquids.

· Rinse the empty oral syringe with clean water and allow it to air dry after every use.

· It is important to use Namenda regularly to get the most benefit. Get your prescription refilled before you run out of medicine completely.

· To be sure this medication is helping your condition, and is not causing harmful effects, doctor will need to check your progress on a regular basis. Do not miss any scheduled appointments.

· Store Namenda at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Keep the liquid medicine bottle tightly closed with the cap provided. Do not store the bottle with the oral syringe in it.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I MISS A DOSE?

· Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I OVERDOSE?

· Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.

· Overdose symptoms may include restlessness, drowsiness, unusual behavior, hallucinations, feeling light-headed, or fainting.

WHAT SHOULD I AVOID WHILE TAKING NAMENDA?

· Namenda can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

NAMENDA SIDE EFFECTS:

· Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

· Stop using Namenda and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

o cough, chest tightness, fever, trouble breathing;

o chest pain, fast heart rate;

o confusion, hallucinations;

o sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body;

o lack of coordination;

o fainting or seizure (convulsions);

o urinating less than usual or not at all;

o pale skin, easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness; or

o increased blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, trouble concentrating, chest pain, numbness, seizure).

· Less serious side effects may include:

o nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, loss of appetite;

o dizziness, tired feeling;

o weight loss;

o swelling in your hands or feet;

o fast heart rate;

o easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness;

o joint pain;

o anxiety, aggression;

o skin rash;

o redness or swelling of or around your eyes; or

o urinating more than usual.

· This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

WHAT OTHER DRUGS WILL AFFECT NAMENDA?

· Before taking Namenda, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:

o cimetidine (Tagamet);

o nicotine (Commit, Habitrol, Nicoderm, Nicotrol, Nicorette);

o ranitidine (Zantac);

o quinidine (Cardioquin, Quinadex, Quinaglute);

o sodium bicarbonate (Alka-Seltzer, baking soda antacid home remedy);

o antiviral medication such as amantadine (Symmetrel) or rimantadine (Flumadine);

o cold or cough medicine that contains dextromethorphan;

o a diuretic (water pill) such as hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, HydroDiuril, Hyzaar, Lopressor, Vasoretic, Zestoretic) or triamterene (Dyrenium, Maxzide, Dyazide);

o medicine to treat glaucoma, such as acetazolamide (Diamox), dichlorphenamide (Daranide), or methazolamide (Neptazane, MZM, Glauctabs); or

o an oral diabetes medicine that contains metformin (such as Fortamet, Glucophage, Actoplus Met, Avanda met, Metaglip, Glucovance).

· This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with Namenda. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION?

· Your pharmacist can provide more information about Namenda.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT DOSAGES OF NAMENDA?

· 5 mg Tablet:

o The capsule-shaped, film-coated tablets are tan, with the strength (5) debossed on one side and FL on the other.

· 10 mg Tablet:

o The capsule-shaped, film-coated tablets are gray, with the strength (10) debossed on one side and FL on the other.

· Titration Pak:

o The 5 mg capsule-shaped, film-coated tablets are tan, with the strength (5) debossed on one side and FL on the other.

o The 10 mg capsule-shaped, film-coated tablets are gray, with the strength (10) debossed on one side and FL on the other.

· Oral Solution:

o The dosage recommendations for oral solution are the same as those for tablets. The oral solution is clear, alcohol-free, sugar-free, and peppermint flavored.

o 2 mg/mL Oral Solution

WORKS CITED: