Best FTD Resources
What If It's Not Alzheimer's |
Chapter 5 |
Association of Frontotemporal Dementia (Website) |
No information was found on this website about this topic. |
Pick's Disease Support Group (Website) |
No information was found on this website about this topic. |
University of California, San Francisco (Website) |
The website below offers some good information about SSRI drugs for FTD. There is also some Alzheimer's information on the same page. Please read it carefully. http://memory.ucsf.edu/Education/Treatment/medications.html#ftd |
Family Caregiver Alliance (Website) |
No information was found on this website about this topic. |
National Institutes of Health (Website) |
No information was found on this website about this topic. |
Other Internet Articles
US Food and Drug Administration |
MedlinePlus from the (NIH) and other government agencies and health-related organizations. |
check out http://www.mejfm.com/journal/Oct2004/Dementia.htm |
American Academy of Family Physicians |
The New York Times published this document on Oct 2006 Drugs to Curb Agitation Are Said to Be Ineffective for Alzheimer’s http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/355/15/1525 11/04/06 |
List of Drugs
Purpose | Drug Name | Information |
Websites | ||
Antidepressant
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The WhatMeds websites defines SSRI as Serotonin reuptake inhibitors which are a group of chemically unique antidepressant drugs. These drugs are effective in depression, bulimia nervosa, obsessive compulsive disorder, anorexia nervosa, panic disorder, pain associated with diabetic neuropathy and for premenstrual syndrome. Doctors use these drugs to reduce repetitive and ritualistic behaviors. This drugs have a side effect which can create sexual dysfunction among patients, and this may be a desirable side effect in a FTD patient. |
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Lexapro® escitalopram |
Lexapro Website |
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Prozac® fluoxetine |
Prozac Website |
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Zoloft® sertraline |
Zoloft Website (My brother called his girlfriend 20-30 times a day. When they put him on Zoloft he only called 3-4 times a day. ) |
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Paxil® paroxetine |
Paxil Website |
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Luvox® fluvoxamine |
FDA Information Medline Plus Website Drugs Website Consumer Information Drugs Website Advanced Information Drug Digest Information Luvox Pill Image(s) |
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Celexa® citalpram |
What Meds - Celexa |
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Effexor® Venlafaxine |
Medline Plus Website Venlafaxine (Effexor XR) is also used to treat generalized anxiety disorder (excessive worrying that is difficult to control) and social anxiety disorder (extreme fear of interacting with others or performing in front of others that interferes with normal life) |
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cholinesterase inhibitor | Is used to treat Alzheimer's disease which is associated with low levels of a chemical called acetylcholine in the brain. It is believed these drugs prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine in the brain. | |
Aricept® Donepezil |
Page 84 in WIINA* A physician told us at the conference in Philadelphia that if someone tries Aricept, he/she should be watched closely. If he/she is going to have a bad reaction, it will be within the first few
days. The physician said he has had several patients who have had clearly bad reactions (agitation and hostility) and had to be taken back off it - same with Namenda. So if the physician recommends trying Aricept, be aware starting it the day before some activity is planned may be wise to avoid. (e-mail from the Yahoo Support Group) |
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Exelon® rivastigmine |
Drug Treatments - Exelon Drug Treatments (UK) - Exelon Medline Plus Website Drugs Website Consumer Information Drugs Website Advanced Information Drug Digest Information Exelon Pill Image(s) |
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Razadyne®
(formerly called Reminyl®) galantamine |
Drug Treatments - Reminyl FDA Information Medline Plus Website Drugs Website Consumer Information Drugs Website Advanced Information Drug Digest Information Razadyne Pill Image(s) |
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glutaminergic agent | Memantine is used to treat the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. Memantine is in a class of medications called NMDA receptor antagonists. It works by decreasing abnormal excitement in the brain. Memantine can help people with Alzheimer's disease to think more clearly and perform daily activities more easily, but it is not a cure and does not stop the progression of the disease. | |
Namenda® Memantine HCL |
Namenda Website The following is an e-mail from the Yahoo Support Group member about the possible side effect in a pFTD. One of our members (can't recall who right now) has written in that, within two weeks, she had to take her husband off Namenda because of the increased anxiety and agitation. It was obvious in that case, as it was the only medication he was on and they noticed the change immediately. It cleared up when they took him off Namenda. I did the same thing with my husband as I felt the Namenda was not good for him. (e-mail from Yahoo Support Group) |
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atypical antipsychotics | Antipsychotic medicines are used to treat symptoms of schizophrenia that may include hearing voices, seeing things, or sensing things that are not there, mistaken beliefs, or unusual suspiciousness. Doctors may us these drugs for very extremely disruptive behaviors when high doses of SSRI do not work anymore. See Tiffany Chow's chapter in "What If It's Not Alzheimer's." |
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Zyprexa® Olanzapine |
Medline Plus Website |
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Risperdal® Risperidone |
Medline Plus Website This is an e-mail from the Yahoo Support Group member. The Doctor is having us cut down on the Risperdal and gradually take him off of it. He thinks the Risperdal has given him some "Parksonian" symptoms which mimic Parkinson's Disease. He believes that my husband will regain some of his energy and motor skills. (e-mail from Yahoo Support Group. There were at least two different e-mails pertaining to this symptom.) |
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Seroquel® Quetiapine |
Page 86 in WIINA* FDA Information Medline Plus Website Drugs Website Consumer Information Drugs Website Advanced Information Drug Digest Information Seroquel Pill Image(s) |
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Levodopa is used to treat the symptoms of Parkinson's disease including tremors (shaking), stiffness, and slowness of movement. It may also improve your gait (walk), posture, swallowing, speech, handwriting, vigor, alertness, and sense of well-being and may control excess salivation and seborrhea (oily, crusty, scaly skin). | ||
Sinemet® levodopa |
Medline Plus Website Drugs Website Consumer Information Drugs Website Advanced Information Drug Digest Information Sinemet Pill Image(s) |
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Ergot Alkaloids | Bromocriptine ( broe-moe-KRIP-teen) belongs to the group of medicines known as ergot alkaloids. Bromocriptine blocks release of a hormone called prolactin from the pituitary gland. Prolactin affects the menstrual cycle and milk production. Bromocriptine is used to treat certain menstrual problems or to stop milk production in some women or men who have abnormal milk leakage. It is also used to treat infertility in both men and women that occurs because the body made too much prolactin. Bromocriptine is also used to treat some people who have Parkinson's disease. It works by stimulating certain parts of the brain and nervous system that are involved in this disease. |
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Parlodel® Bromocriptine |
Used for aphasic patients. Page 77 in WIINA*. Bupropion, Buspirone. Medline Plus Website Drugs Website Consumer Information Drugs Website Advanced Information Drug Digest Information Parlodel Pill Image(s) |
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serotonin modulators | Trazodone is used to treat depression. Trazodone is in a class of medications called serotonin modulators. It works by increasing the amount of serotonin, a natural substance in the brain that helps maintain mental balance. |
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Desyrel® Trazodone |
Page 80 and 86 in WIINA* Medline Plus Website Drugs Website Consumer Information Drugs Website Advanced Information Drug Digest Information Desyrel Pill Image(s) |
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Amantadine (a-MAN-ta-deen) is an antiviral. It is used to prevent or treat certain influenza (flu) infections (type A). It may be given alone or along with flu shots. Amantadine will not work for colds, other types of flu, or other virus infections. Amantadine also is an antidyskinetic. It is used to treat Parkinson's disease, sometimes called paralysis agitans or shaking palsy. It may be given alone or with other medicines for Parkinson's disease. By improving muscle control and reducing stiffness, this medicine allows more normal movements of the body as the disease symptoms are reduced. Amantadine is also used to treat stiffness and shaking caused by certain medicines used to treat nervous, mental, and emotional conditions. |
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Symmetrel® Amantadine |
Page 77 and 81 in WIINA* This drug as been found to help NF-PPA patients by increasing fluency and attention. |
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Benzodiazepines | This drug is used to relieve anxiety, nervousness, and tension associated with anxiety disorders. It is also used to treat certain types of seizures disorders and to relieve insomnia. It can cause confusion in FTD patients. See Tiffany Chow's chapter wherein it may be recommended to avoid these drugs. Please read the paragraph in WIINA* on page 80. |
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Klonopin® Clonazepam |
Medline Plus Website Drugs Website Consumer Information Drugs Website Advanced Information Drug Digest Information Klonopin Pill Image(s) |
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Ativan® Lorazepam |
What Meds - Lorazepam Medline Plus Website Drugs Website Consumer Information Drugs Website Advanced Information Drug Digest Information Ativan Pill Image(s) |
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Estrogens | Can be used to control sexual disinhibition in male patients. |
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Premarin® |
Medline Plus Website Drugs Website Consumer Information Drugs Website Advanced Information Drug Digest Information Premarin Pill Image(s) |
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Special Drug for Caregivers (We all need a little humor. Do not take it seriously.) D A M N I T O L It works best if you , open your mouth, swallow these imagery pills. Now closes your eyes and think about one of your fondest moment from the past. For one minute focus on this special moment. While this drug work on most people it may not work on everyone! If not, keep trying, the pills are cheap and refill bottle whenever! It doesn't hurt to try. (Note: Do not follow these instructions in public! It could be hard to explain!) |
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*(WINNA) What if it's not Alzheimer's by Lisa Radin and Gary Radin; Chapter 5 written by Tiffany W. Chow