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Cardiac safety of donepezil in elderly patients with Alzheimer disease

Ahmet Turan Isik1, Gulsen Babacan Yildiz, Ergun Bozoglu

  • 1Department of Geriatric Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University, Faculty of Medicine, Turkey. atisik@yahoo.com

Internal Medicine (Tokyo, Japan)
|March 28, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Donepezil, used for Alzheimer's disease (AD), showed no adverse cardiovascular effects in elderly patients. This study found no significant changes in cardiac rhythm or blood pressure with standard donepezil dosages.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Geriatrics
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Donepezil is a common treatment for Alzheimer's disease (AD).
  • Its cardiovascular side effects, particularly on cardiac rhythm and blood pressure, require further investigation in elderly patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the potential adverse cardiovascular effects of donepezil.
  • Specifically, to assess its impact on cardiac rhythm and postural blood pressure in elderly AD patients.

Main Methods:

  • Electrocardiogram (ECG) parameters (heart rate, PR, QT, QTc, QRS) and blood pressure were monitored.
  • Measurements were taken at baseline and after administration of donepezil (5 and 10 mg/d).
  • Seventy-one elderly patients with AD were enrolled.

Main Results:

  • Fifty-two patients completed the study.
  • No statistically significant changes were observed in ECG parameters or arterial blood pressure at any donepezil dosage compared to baseline.

Conclusions:

  • Donepezil treatment did not demonstrate negative chronotropic, arrhythmogenic, or hypotensive effects in this cohort.
  • The findings suggest donepezil is safe concerning cardiac function in elderly patients with Alzheimer's disease.
Abstract

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