
Clinical studies have shown that rivastigmine transdermal patch can significantly improve cognitive scores and daily executive functions of patients with dementia, delay disease progression, and is an important medication option for long-term management of dementia patients.
(I) Indications
1. Mild to severe Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related dementia.
2. Mild to moderate Parkinson's disease-related dementia (PDD).
(II) Recommended dose
Starting dose: Apply 4.6mg/24h patch once daily.
If tolerated every 4 weeks, it can be increased to 9.5mg/24h (minimum effective dose); after another 4 weeks of tolerance, it can be increased to a maximum of 13.3mg/24h.
Mild to moderate AD and PDD: 9.5mg or 13.3mg/24h, once a day.
Severe AD: 13.3mg/24h, once a day.
If the medication is interrupted for ≤3 days, the original dose can be continued; if it is >3 days, it should be restarted from 4.6mg/24h and titrated according to the above scheme.
(III) Applicable population
Adults. Pregnant and lactating women, children and elderly patients should take the medication under the guidance of a doctor.
(IV) Contraindications
1. People who are known to be allergic to rivastigmine transdermal patches, other carbamate derivatives or excipients.
2. People who have had severe contact dermatitis at the patch site.
(V) Side effects
1. Common adverse reactions (incidence >5%, and higher than the placebo group)
The most commonly reported adverse events during treatment include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, which are more prominent in clinical trials and significantly higher than the placebo control group.
2. Other adverse reactions
Patients may also experience systemic reactions such as weight loss, loss of appetite, headache, sleep disorders (such as insomnia), and emotional anxiety. Since this product is administered in the form of a transdermal patch, local skin reactions are also common, manifested as irritation, erythema, itching and other skin discomfort symptoms at the contact site.
3. Adverse reactions found in post-marketing monitoring
During the clinical application of the drug after it was launched, there have been reports of tachycardia, prolonged QT interval of electrocardiogram, abnormal liver function indexes, allergic skin reactions, etc.; rare but serious skin mucosal syndromes, such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome, have occurred in very rare cases, which need to be highly valued and treated in time.
(VI) Precautions
1. Avoid multiple patches or applying new patches without removing old patches to prevent severe overdose.
2. Severe gastrointestinal reactions (severe vomiting/diarrhea) can cause dehydration, which should be monitored and discontinued or reduced if necessary.
3. If extensive dermatitis or patch overflow reactions lasting more than 48 hours occur, the drug should be discontinued and further evaluated.
4. It may aggravate Parkinson's symptoms, induce or aggravate epilepsy, promote gastric acid secretion, and slow down the heart rate. Anesthetics and beta-blockers should be used with caution.
(VII) Drug Interactions
It is not recommended to use it with metoclopramide (it aggravates extrapyramidal reactions).
It is not recommended to use it with other cholinergic or anticholinergic drugs (it antagonizes or enhances the cholinergic effect).
It can cause severe bradycardia and syncope when used with β-receptor blockers.
(VIII) Storage Conditions
20℃-25℃ (it can be stored at 15℃-30℃ for a short time), keep it sealed, away from light, dry, and out of reach of children and pets.
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