International journal of geriatric psychiatry
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Int J Geriatr Psychiatry · Mar 2002
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialA 24-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of donepezil in patients with Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease--pilot study.
Donepezil Hydrochloride (Aricept) is a selective anticholinesterase inhibitor developed for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study investigated the safety and efficacy of the drug to treat Down syndrome (DS) adults with mild to moderate AD. ⋯ Donepezil Hydrochloride administered once a day appears to be generally well tolerated and safe in DS adults who have AD. There is some possible efficacy in the treatment of symptoms of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease in this population, although the sample size of this study was too small for statistical significance. It is recommended that donepezil, with the appropriate precautions, should be considered for the treatment of AD in adults with DS as deemed by a specialist.