Rivastigmine: an update on therapeutic efficacy in Alzheimer's disease and other conditions

The results of recent clinical trials with rivastigmine show that in the approved indication of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD), the drug is effective in the long term. Rivastigmine produces a significant delay in the decline of the three components of AD that have been identified by European guidelines as essential parameters for the assessment of therapeutic efficacy of medicinal products with this indication. These are cognitive function, the ability to perform the usual activities of daily living, and global judgement of the patient's condition by the patient himself, his caregiver and his doctor. Moreover, rivastigmine produces significant control of AD behavioural disorders. This further reduces caregiver burden, reduces the probability of institutionalisation, and enables the reduction or discontinuation of expensive and poorly tolerated antipsychotics. Recent trials also suggest that rivastigmine is effective in moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease, 'mixed' dementia (AD associated with vascular disorders) and Lewy body dementia. Preliminary investigations have also indicated that the drug may provide important benefits in patients with vascular dementia or dementia associated with Parkinson's disease. Pharmacoeconomic studies show that the therapeutic properties of rivastigmine result in economic savings for the care of demented patients living in the community.