> Date: Thu, 8 Jan 98 8:36:37 MST
> Subject: Re: Aricept
> From: "Patrick Quail" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Cc: [log in to unmask] (patrick quail)
> Reply-to: [log in to unmask]
> Its been on the market here for about 6 months . At best
> it may help to delay nursing home admission by 3-6 months
> when used in patients with early SDAT. At $5 a pop its
> causing much agitation amongst pharmacies servicing our nursing
> homes for which its use would be inapropriate anyway..Its being
> marketed as the first of the new "cognitive enhancers" which
> makes it a little difficult to "withold" from the cognitively impaired.
>
Bollocks. The published *and* unpublished data show *NO* difference
in clinically relevant or quality of life indicators at 13 or 26
weeks. (I await the next study in Dementia soon with "interest"). Ok
so things like fancy clinical scoring systems show statistically
significant benefits over placebo, the evidence clearly shows that
this makes *NO* difference to the patient and/or carers.
> I've prescribed it once , Its not very exciting.
>
If it's going to be prescribed it should be by a consultant. The
licence is *only* for Alzeihmer's, other organic dementias or pseudo
dementias should be excluded first.
Dr David J Plews
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