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ARICEPT PATIENT PACKAGE INSERT
ARICEPT®
(Air-eh-sept)
(donepezil hydrochloride) tablets
•
Tablets: 5 mg, 10 mg, and 23 mg
ARICEPT® ODT
(Air-eh-sept oh-dee-tee)
(donepezil hydrochloride) orally disintegrating tablets
•
ODT Tablets: 5 mg and 10 mg
Read the Patient Information that comes with ARICEPT before
the patient starts taking it and each time you get a refill. There
may be new information. This leaflet does not take the place of
talking with the doctor about Alzheimer’s disease or treatment
for it. If you have questions, ask the doctor or pharmacist.
What is ARICEPT?
ARICEPT comes as ARICEPT film-coated tablets in dosage
strengths of 5 mg, 10 mg, and 23 mg, and as ARICEPT Orally
Disintegrating Tablets (ODT; 5 mg and 10 mg). Except where
indicated, all the information about ARICEPT in this leaflet
also applies to ARICEPT ODT.
ARICEPT is a prescription medicine to treat mild Alzheimer’s
disease (up to 10 mg) and moderate to severe Alzheimer’s
disease (up to 23 mg). ARICEPT can help with mental function
and with doing daily tasks. ARICEPT does not work the same
in all people. Some people may:
•
Seem much better
•
Get better in small ways or stay the same
•
Get worse over time but slower than expected
•
Not change and then get worse as expected
ARICEPT does not cure Alzheimer’s disease. All patients with
Alzheimer’s disease get worse over time, even if they take ARICEPT
ARICEPT has not been approved as a treatment for any
medical condition in children.
Who should not take ARICEPT?
The patient should not take ARICEPT if allergic to any of
the ingredients in ARICEPT or to medicines that contain
piperidines. Ask the patient’s doctor if you are not sure. See
the end of this leaflet for a list of ingredients in ARICEPT.
What should I tell the doctor before the patient takes ARICEPT?
Tell the doctor about all the patient’s present or past
health problems.
Include:
•
Any heart problems including problems with irregular,
slow, or fast heartbeats
•
Asthma or lung problems
•
A seizure
•
Stomach ulcers
•
Difficulty passing urine
•
Liver or kidney problems
•
Trouble swallowing tablets
•
Present pregnancy or plans to become pregnant. It is not
known if ARICEPT can harm an unborn baby.
•
Present breast-feeding. It is not known if ARICEPT
passes into breast milk. ARICEPT is not for women who
are breast-feeding.
Tell the doctor about all the medicines the patient takes,
including prescription and non-prescription medicines,
vitamins, and herbal products. ARICEPT and other medicines
may affect each other.
Be particularly sure to tell the doctor if the patient takes
aspirin or medicines called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs (NSAIDs). There are many NSAID medicines, both
prescription and non-prescription. Ask the doctor or
pharmacist if you are not sure if any of the patient’s medicines
are NSAIDs. Taking NSAIDs and ARICEPT together may make
the patient more likely to get stomach ulcers.
ARICEPT taken with certain medicines used for anesthesia
may cause side effects. Tell the responsible doctor or dentist
that the patient takes ARICEPT before the patient has:
•
surgery
•
medical procedures
•
dental surgery or procedures.
Know the medicines that the patient takes. Keep a list of all
the patient’s medicines. Show it to the doctor or pharmacist
before the patient starts a new medicine.
How should the patient take ARICEPT?
•
Give ARICEPT exactly as prescribed by the doctor. Do not
stop ARICEPT or change the dose yourself. Talk with the
doctor first.
•
Give ARICEPT one time each day. ARICEPT can be taken
with or without food.
•
ARICEPT Tablets (but not ARICEPT ODT) should be swallowed
whole without the tablets being broken or crushed.
•
ARICEPT ODT melts on the tongue. The patient should
drink some water after the tablet melts.
•
If you miss giving the patient a dose of ARICEPT, just
wait. Give only the next dose at the usual time. Do not
give 2 doses at the same time.
•
If ARICEPT is missed for 7 days or more, talk with the
doctor before starting again.
•
If the patient takes too much ARICEPT at one time,
call the doctor or poison control center, or go to the
emergency room right away.
What are the possible side effects of ARICEPT?
ARICEPT may cause the following serious side effects:
•
slow heartbeat and fainting.
This happens more often in
people with heart problems. Call the doctor right away if
the patient faints while taking ARICEPT.
•
more stomach acid.
This raises the chance of ulcers and
bleeding, especially when taking ARICEPT 23 mg. The
risk is higher for patients who had ulcers, or take aspirin
or other NSAIDs.
•
worsening of lung problems in people with asthma or
other lung disease.
•
seizures.
•
difficulty passing urine.
Call the doctor right away if the patient has:
•
fainting.
•
heartburn or stomach pain that is new or won’t go away.
•
nausea or vomiting, blood in the vomit, dark vomit that
looks like coffee grounds.
•
bowel movements or stools that look like black tar.
•
new or worse asthma or breathing problems.
•
seizures.
•
difficulty passing urine.
The most common side effects of ARICEPT are:
•
nausea
•
diarrhea
•
not sleeping well
•
vomiting
•
muscle cramps
•
feeling tired
•
not wanting to eat
