Namenda memantine HCI

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What are the benefits of Namenda when taken alone or in combination with another Alzheimer's disease medication?
  2. How is Namenda different from other Alzheimer's medications?
  3. How can I tell if Namenda is working?
  4. Are there side effects with Namenda?
  5. Can Namenda be taken with other medications?
  6. How do you get started on Namenda?
  7. How long should Namenda be taken?
  8. Is Namenda covered by insurance?
What are the benefits of Namenda when taken alone or in combination with another Alzheimer's disease medication?
Namenda® (memantine HCl) has been proven to help treat the symptoms of moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease when taken alone or in combination with another Alzheimer's medication, Aricept® (donepezil).1,2

In a clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine, patients taking Namenda experienced a slower rate of decline in thinking and had significantly greater ability to perform daily activities such as eating, dressing and bathing than patients taking a placebo (sugar pill). 1

Results from a clinical trial published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed taking Namenda in combination with Aricept did more to treat the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease than just using Aricept alone. The study found that combination therapy with Namenda+Aricept may 2:

  • Improve and maintain thinking 2,3
  • Help maintain the ability to perform activities of daily living such as grooming, finding belongings and conversing 2,4
  • Significantly improve behavior
  • Delay the onset of negative behavioral symptoms such as agitation, aggression and irritability in asymptomatic people 2,5

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. For more information about the benefits of Namenda, visit The Namenda Difference.

  1. Reisberg B et al. N Engl J Med. 2003
  2. Tariot PN et al. JAMA. 2004
  3. Schmitt et al. ADAD. 2006
  4. Feldman H et al. ADAD. 2006
  5. Cummings JL et al. Neurology. 2006
How is Namenda different from other Alzheimer's medications?
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 improve abnormal glutamatergic activity.

Namenda can be taken alone and has also been shown to have additional benefits when taken in combination with another Alzheimer's medications, Aricept. For more information about the way Namenda works when taken alone or with another Alzheimer's medication, 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 Namenda is working?
While there is no cure for Alzheimer's disease, the goal of treatment with Namenda* is to help treat the symptoms of moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease. An improvement in symptoms, or no change in symptoms, may indicate that 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 using Aricept alone. 1,2

For more information, visit What to Expect.

  1. Tariot PN et al. JAMA. 2004
  2. Feldman H et al. ADAD. 2006
Are there side effects with Namenda?
Namenda is well tolerated by people with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease and has a low rate of side effects. The most common adverse events reported with Namenda were dizziness, confusion, headache and constipation.

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± The most common side effects reported in patients taking Namenda+Aricept were confusion, dizziness and falls, flu-like symptoms and agitation.

For a complete side effect profile, 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 BID) or sugar pill to a stable regimen of Aricept (5 mg-10 mg/day) for 24 weeks.

  1. Tariot PN et al. JAMA. 2004
Can Namenda be taken with other medications?
Yes. Many people with Alzheimer's disease take medications for other illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Fortunately, it is safe to take Namenda* with other medications because it has a very 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. For more information about the safety of Namenda, visit Side Effects.

How do you get started on Namenda?
Namenda* is easy to start with and easy to take. It is conveniently available in both capsule and liquid forms. 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. 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 Starting Namenda for more information.

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.