Ebixa / Namenda (memantine) belongs to the group of medicines known as NMDA receptor antagonists and is prescribed to treat moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease.
Ebixa is not recommended for children and adolescents under the age of 18 years.
Dosage
The doctor will determine the dosage regimen. The usual dosage for adults and elderly patients is 20 mg daily.
To reduce the risk of side effects, this dose is achieved gradually, starting at 5 mg (half a tablet) per day in the first week, then increasing by 5 mg each week for three weeks until the full dose is reached.
If a higher dosage is taken in error, contact a doctor or seek medical help. Taking an overdose will usually not result in any harm but may cause increased side effects. If a child swallowed the medicine by mistake, refer immediately to the physician or a hospital emergency room and bring the package of medicine with.
This text is for informational purposes only. Please consult your doctor or pharmacist before using any medication.
The observed side effects are mild to moderate. They include:
- headache
- sleepiness
- constipation
- dizziness
- balance disorders
- shortness of breath
- high blood pressure.
If these or other unlisted symptoms persist or worsen, talk to a doctor or pharmacist.
There is evidence that memory loss in Alzheimer’s disease is due to a disturbance of message signals in the brain caused by excessive activity of a natural body chemical called glutamate. The brain contains N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors involved in transmitting nerve signals that are important in learning and memory.
Memantine blocks excessive glutamate activity on the NMDA receptor but still allows the normal activation of these receptors when the brain forms a memory.