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Alzheimer’s disease is a common disease in the elderly. The disease itself is more than just making a person forgetful. It causes a person to lose their cognitive function such as memory and communication skill. These will lead to a person becoming unable to become a functional human and decrease productivity level. In other words, a person with Alzheimer’s disease will have a life as if they are a child and this alone robbed away all joy in life. Alzheimer;s disease causes a person to forget what they have learned or acquired as adults. Unfortunately, there is no cure for the disease but treatments such as Exelon patch can help improve the condition and enable a person to have a much fulfilling life.
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disease that is commonly caused by the aging process. The ageing process led to changes of the brain structures and its chemical components. This will lead to brain function issues. Exelon patch works by restoring the brain chemical known as neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are responsible for the many functions of the brain.
The Exelon patch contains rivastigmine. This active ingredient helps to improve the brain cognitive function such as memory, alertness and learning skills. By improving cognitive function, a person’s ability to perform basic daily tasks may be restored and this will aid patients in going through with their life. Rivastigmine also helps to increase another brain chemical known as acetylcholine. The increased level of acetylcholine leads to more nerve cells of the brain to communicate well. Rivastigmine itself is an acetylcholine inhibitor that prevents enzymes of acetylcholinesterase from breaking down acetylcholine. This helps to increase the level of acetylcholine in the brain. Rivastigmine also has been proven to improve the ability to walk and stand. This helps to reduce risk for falls in patients with Parkinson disease. Thus, Exelon patch is usually prescribed to treat dementia that is caused by Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
Exelon patch is available in a few variants with a variety of doses. This includes 4.6, 9.5 and 13.3 mg. The exact patch that will be received will be provided by doctors as according to the patient’s condition and based on the doctor’s evaluation. Doctors may gradually increase the dose of the patch as time goes by. This will help patients to receive the effective dose. It is important to use Exelon patches as instructed by doctors.
Exelon patch is recommended to be used once a day. It is important to replace patches with new ones every 24 hours. If a patient forgot to use the patch as directed by the doctor, the patient needs to let the doctor know as the patient might be needing specific instructions before restarting to use the new patch. Patients should never use more than one patch at a time. Try to avoid using the patch on damaged skin such as reddish, irritated or cuts on skin as it could aggravate the skin condition. If a person does experience a bad skin reaction after applying Exelon patch, they should let the doctor know. This allows doctors to assess and possibly suggest alternatives.
One of the famous questions asked by patients or caregivers is how quickly the Exelon patch works. It takes weeks before the patch gives signs of improvements. It may take up to 12 weeks for the patch to be effective. It is worth noting that individual response towards the patch varies greatly. The only way to know if the patch really works is to always use it regularly and to attend all doctor’s appointments or follow up. Exelon patch has been shown to be effective in maintaining cognitive function after 18 months of treatment in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.
Exelon patch, just as with any other medicine, does have potential side effects. Common ones include nausea, dizziness, loss of appetite and diarrhoea. It is worth noting that doctors will always prescribe medication that brings benefits and have already assessed the risk for the side effects. If a patient experiences a serious side effect such as irregular heartbeat, severe abdominal pain, losing consciousness, vomiting or black stool, patients need to get immediate medical attention as this could be life-threatening if left unattended by a doctor.
In essence, Exelon patch is used to treat Alzheimer’s disease and even certain Parkinson’s disease. Exelon patch should be considered as medicine that works to slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease but it can never stop the nature of the disease from affecting the patient. It is important to talk about early signs of Alzheimer’s disease with a doctor. Getting early diagnosis and treatment can help slow down the disease and improve symptoms. This will help a person to have a fulfilling life and for a person to age gracefully. Alzheimer’s disease needs to be treated as early as possible because the disease not only affects the patient but also people around them. Hence, it is best to understand Alzheimer’s disease and what can be done to slow it down.
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