Medications for Alzheimer's disease
Cognex, also called Tacrine. Cognex is a acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. It was the first drug that was approved in 1993 by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and was a major step forward in the treatment of people with Alzheimer's disease.
Cognex is now one of the least popular medications for Alzheimer's disease for three main reasons;
Cognex has to be taken four times a day
People taking Cognex often experience unpleasant side effects
One of the serious side effects is that it can cause liver damage. Consequently liver blood tests have to be carried out on a very regular basis.
How Cognex works
Cognex, in common with the other drugs called Cholinesterase Inhibitors works by delaying the break down of acetylcholine in the brain. Acetylcholine helps communication between the nerve cells and is important for memory.
Side effects of Cognex
Cognex tends to have a a number of side effects. The most common side effects are nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Less common effects of Cognex are abdominal pain, sore muscles, headache, dizziness, rapid breathing, increased urination, insomnia, runny nose or mouth, swelling in legs and feet. As has been previously mentioned one of the more concerning side effects is liver damage, but heart problems and seizures have also been reported.
