Drug therapy for patients with dementia

Drug therapy for patients with dementia

P.R. Kamchatnov¹, L.A. Skipetrova², R.A. Cheremin², A.D. Levitskaya¹, N.A. Gorbunov¹

¹Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow

²Center for Speech Pathology and Neurorehabilitation, Moscow

Cognitive disorders represent a significant challenge in modern medicine due to their high prevalence and the substantial risk of progression to dementia. Dementia is a severe neurodegenerative condition characterized by progressive functional decline and an increasing need for comprehensive patient care. Although various treatment tactics for dementia prevention are actively being developed, their efficacy remains limited, frequently necessitating prolonged pharmacological intervention. This article reviews the clinical efficacy and safety profiles of the principal pharmacotherapeutic agents utilized in the management of dementia. It is highlighted that comparable measures of efficacy and tolerability, particularly when considering the potential for pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic drug interactions with long-term administration, contribute to the establishment of safe therapy. Special consideration is given to the pharmacological characteristics of drugs, including generic formulations with established bioequivalence.

Keywords: dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, treatment, ipidacrine, rivastigmine, galantamine, donepezil, memantine.

For citation: Kamchatnov P.R., Skipetrovа L.A., Cheremin R.A., Levitskaya A.D., Gorbunov N.A. Drug therapy for patients with dementia. RMJ. 2025;4:18–25. DOI: 10.32364/2225-2282-2025-4-4