Key facts about Memantine
What dosages is Memantine available in?
Memantine is available as a 5 mg and 10 mg oral tablet and a 2 mg/ml oral solution.
What is Memantine used for?
Memantine is a NMDA antagonist and is used to treat moderate-to-severe dementia related to Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
How does Memantine work?
Memantine is an NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) antagonist. It works by lowering the activity of certain chemical messengers in your brain that are overly active in people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In doing so, it prevents these chemical messengers from causing further nerve damage in the brain. As a result, Memantine slows the worsening of memory loss linked to AD.
How do I take Memantine?
Memantine is typically started at a dose of 5 mg by mouth once a day. Your provider will slowly raise your dose every week until you reach the recommended maintenance dose of 10 mg twice a day.
Is it safe for me to take Memantine?
Memantine is a safe and effective treatment when used for FDA licensed indications. However, like all medications, they may give you unwanted side effects. You should always discuss potential side effects with your physician to ensure the medication is suitable and right for you. You should not use this medication if you have a known hypersensitivity to Memantine hydrochloride or to any excipients used in the formulation.
Memantine Common Side Effects
Common side effects of Memantine:
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Confusion
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
Memantine Serious Side Effects
Serious side effects are rare with Memantine.
Effects of other drugs, drug classes and over-the-counter products on Memantine
The following medications may interact with Memantine:
- Drugs that make the urine alkaline: Alterations of urine pH towards the alkaline condition may lead to an accumulation of the drug with a possible increase in adverse effects. Urine pH is altered by diet, drugs (e.g. carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, sodium bicarbonate) and clinical state of the patient (e.g. renal tubular acidosis or severe infections of the urinary tract)
Who makes Memantine?
Various FDA-approved generic manufacturers
Is Memantine safe in pregnancy?
There are no adequate and well-controlled studies of Memantine in pregnant women. Memantine should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus.
