Namenda memantine HCI

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What is combination therapy for treating Alzheimer's disease?
  2. What are the benefits of combination therapy with Namenda?
  3. How does Namenda work?
  4. How can I tell if combination therapy with Namenda is working?
  5. Will adding Namenda increase the risk of side effects?
  6. Is it safe to take Namenda with drugs used to treat conditions other than Alzheimer's disease?
  7. How do you get started on Namenda?
  8. How do you take Namenda?
  9. How long should combination therapy with Namenda be taken?
  10. Is Namenda covered by insurance?
What is combination therapy for treating Alzheimer's disease?
Combination therapy is the use of two or more medications to treat the same condition. The concept of combining medications to increase benefits is not a new one in healthcare. In conditions such as high blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes, doctors often prescribe more than one type of therapy. In this case, combination therapy is used to treat the symptoms of Alzheimer's. Because medications used in combination typically target different aspects of a disease, combination therapy may be more beneficial than just taking one medication alone.

For Alzheimer’s disease, combination therapy consists of taking Namenda® (memantine HCl) with another Alzheimer's medication, Aricept® (donepezil). To learn about the benefits of combination therapy with Namenda, visit Proven Benefits.

What are the benefits of combination therapy?
Namenda*, in combination with Aricept**, has been proven to help treat the progressive symptoms of Alzheimer's disease more than just using Aricept alone. In fact, in a clinical trial published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Namenda in combination with Aricept was shown to 1
  • Improve and maintain thinking 1,2
  • Help maintain the ability to perform activities of daily living such as grooming, finding belongings and conversing 1,3
  • Significantly improve behavior
  • Delay the onset of negative behavioral symptoms such as agitation, aggression and irritability in asymptomatic people 1,4

Taking combination therapy with Namenda may allow people with Alzheimer's disease to recognize and interact with family and friends for a longer period of time. Visit Proven Benefits to learn more about combination therapy with Namenda.

  1. Tariot PN et al. JAMA. 2004
  2. Schmitt et al. ADAD. 2006
  3. Feldman H, et al. ADAD. 2006
  4. Cummings JL et al. Neurology. 2006
How does Namenda work?
Namenda* works in an entirely different way than other Alzheimer's medications and is in a class of its own. 1± Namenda targets glutamate, 4 a chemical in the brain that helps with learning and memory. Abnormal glutamatergic activity in the brain may lead to Alzheimer's disease symptoms. Namenda may help to improve abnormal glutamatergic activity. For more information, visit How Does Namenda Work?

± Under the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (MMA), the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) developed Model Guidelines Version 2.0, outlining drug categories and classes that may be used by prescription drug plan in developing their formularies. The USP Guidelines were used as the classification structure for approximately 74% of formularies that were in place when the new Medicare Part D benefit became activated January 1, 2006. 2,3

  1. US Pharmacopeia. Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Model Guidelines Version 2.0: Drug Categories and Classes in Part D. Rockville, Md: United States Pharmacopeial Convention, Inc.; February 6, 2006
  2. US Pharmacopeia. Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Model Guidelines Version 2.0: Preamble. Rockville, Md: United States Pharmacopeial Convention, Inc.; February 6, 2006
  3. USP revising Medicare Model Guidelines. USP Press [newsletter]. January 2006: 1, 4
  4. Alzheimer's Association. FDA-approved treatments for Alzheimer's disease. Available at: www.alz.org/national/documents/topicsheet_treatments.pdf. Accessed on November 9, 2007
How can I tell if combination therapy with Namenda is working?
While there is no cure for Alzheimer's disease, the goal of treatment with Namenda* in combination therapy is to help treat the symptoms of moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease. An improvement in symptoms, no change in symptoms, or a slower decline in symptoms may indicate that combination therapy with Namenda is working. Patients taking combination therapy with Namenda and Aricept** may, for example, maintain the ability to perform activities of daily living such as grooming, finding belongings and conversing longer than patients just taking Aricept alone. 1,2
  1. Tariot PN et al. JAMA. 2004
  2. Feldman H et al. ADAD. 2006
Will adding Namenda increase the risk of side effects?
Namenda* in combination with Aricept** has been proven to help treat the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease without adding additional side effects. In fact, the results of a clinical trial published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that patients taking Namenda in combination with Aricept experienced fewer gastrointestinal side effects (diarrhea and nausea) than those just using Aricept alone. 1±

However, as with all medications, some patients do experience some side effects while taking combination therapy. These side effects can include dizziness, confusion, headache and constipation. The most common side effects reported in patients taking Namenda+Aricept were confusion, dizziness and falls, flu-like symptoms and agitation.

For more information on side effects of combination therapy, please visit Side Effects.

± Results from a randomized, multicenter, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled U.S. study investigating the efficacy of NAMENDA+Aricept in patients with moderate to severe AD. The study involved 404 outpatients. Patients were randomized to treatment with NAMENDA (10 mg, two times a day) or sugar pill to a stable regimen of Aricept (5 mg-10 mg/day) for 24 weeks.

  1. Tariot PN et al. JAMA. 2004
Is it safe to take Namenda with drugs used to treat conditions other than Alzheimer's disease?
Yes. Many people with Alzheimer's disease take medications for other illnesses, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Fortunately, Namenda* has a low risk of interaction with other drugs. It is important, however, to talk to your doctor about all medications being taken – prescription and over-the-counter, as well as herbal remedies and nutritional supplements – before starting Namenda.

How do you get started on Namenda?
Namenda* is easy to start and easy to take. It is conveniently available in both tablet and liquid forms. Therapy begins at a low dose (5 mg once a day) and is gradually increased until the target dose (10 mg, two times a day) is reached. A convenient dosing pack guides patients through the first four weeks of therapy during which dosage is gradually increased.

Once the target dose has been reached, patients taking Namenda can continue with that daily regimen unless instructed otherwise by their doctors. Visit Taking Namenda for more information.

How do you take Namenda?
Namenda* can be taken with or without food and is available in tablets and liquid, for those who have difficulty swallowing tablets or prefer liquid.

Therapy begins at a low dose (5 mg per day) and is gradually increased until the target dose (10 mg, two times a day) is reached. To be effective, Namenda must be taken correctly, according to the following schedule 1:

Namenda dosing schedule

  1. Week 1: Start on Day 1

    Take one 5 mg tablet in the morning, each day.

  2. Week 2: Start on Day 8

    Take one 5 mg tablet in the morning and one 5 mg tablet at night, each day.

  3. Week 3: Start on Day 15

    Take one 10 mg tablet in the morning and one 5 mg tablet at night, each day.

  4. Week 4: Start on Day 22

    Take one 10 mg tablet in the morning and one 10 mg tablet at night, each day.

  5. Once the target dose (10 mg, two times a day) has been reached, people taking Namenda can continue with that daily regimen unless instructed otherwise by their doctors. (For patients with severe renal impairment, 5 mg twice a day is the recommended dose.) 1

As with all types of prescription medication, do not stop taking Namenda without first talking to a doctor.

  1. Namenda® Prescribing Information. Forest Pharmaceuticals, Inc. St Louis, Mo.
How long should Namenda be taken?
The length of treatment with Namenda* will vary among patients. Talk with your doctor about how long your loved one should stay on treatment. As with any type of medication, talk to your doctor before starting or stopping Namenda.

Is Namenda covered by insurance?
Yes. Namenda* is covered by the majority of private health insurance plans and by Medicare Part D plans. When choosing an insurance plan make sure to check that the drugs you take are covered.

For more information about Medicare Part D, visit, www.medicare.gov, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).


  • *Namenda is indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease.
  • **Aricept is a product of Eisai Inc. and Pfizer Inc. Aricept is not manufactured by the makers of Namenda.