Namenda is a brand name for the prescription medication memantine hydrochloride. Available in both a tablet and a liquid oral solution, doctors commonly prescribe Namenda for the treatment of the symptoms of moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease.

Function

Namenda functions by preventing an amino acid known as glutamate from affecting your brain. Although doctors do not fully understand how, this decrease in stimulation from glutamate provides some relief from symptoms of dementia in some patients, explains the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Effects

Namenda treats only the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and cannot slow or prevent the progression of the disease, reports the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Time Frame

Doctors typically begin treatment with Namenda at a dosage of 5 mg once daily, and then increase the dosage by 5 mg approximately once per week. This continues until patients receive 20 mg of Namenda per day, which is the recommended dosage, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Risks

The most common side effects of Namenda include dizziness, headaches, constipation, confusion, coughing and high blood pressure. Namenda also poses a risk for heart failure, stroke, aggression and cataracts, warns the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Considerations

Because Namenda is known to cause fetal abnormalities in laboratory animals, doctors avoid prescribing the drug for use in pregnant women. If you have a history of epilepsy, urinary tract infections or kidney or liver disease, it may not be safe for you to take Namenda, warns the Mayo Clinic.

Source:

U.S. National Library of Medicine Daily Med: Namenda (Memantine Hydrochloride) tablet

Mayo Clinic: Memantine (Oral Route)