PEBC: What You Need to Know: Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors
Examples: donepezil, galantamine, rivastigmine
Indication: dementia
Dosing:
Donepezil and galantamine: once daily
Rivastigmine: twice daily
Adverse Effects:
-diarrhea
-nausea and vomiting
-bradycardia
-urinary frequency
-nightmares or insomnia
-may affect asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Drug Interactions:
-beta-blockers and diltiazem/verapamil - increased risk of bradycardia
-donepezil and galantamine levels may be increased by CYP2D6 (ex. terbinafine) and CYP3A4 inhibitors (ex. clarithromycin)
-rivastigmine has low risk of drug interactions