Aricept (donepezil) Side Effects -- emedtv.com - Aricept (donepezil) Side Effects

Side Effects of Aricept: An Introduction

As with any medicine, there are possible side effects with Aricept® (donepezil hydrochloride). However, not everyone who takes Aricept will have side effects. In fact, most people tolerate the medication well. When side effects do occur, they are generally minor and either require no treatment or can easily be treated by you or your healthcare provider.

In previous research studies, up to 5 percent of people taking Aricept 5 mg and 13 percent of people taking Aricept 10 mg daily stopped their medicine because of side effects. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea were the most common reasons why people stopped taking Aricept. Side effects tend to be less severe if the dose is slowly increased over a period of several weeks.

(The side effects discussed below are not a complete list of side effects reported with Aricept. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list of possible Aricept side effects with you.)

Common Aricept Side Effects

Aricept has been studied thoroughly in clinical trials. In these studies, side effects are always documented and compared to those that occur in a similar group of people not taking the medicine. This way, it is possible to see what side effects occur, how often they appear, and how they compare to the group not taking the medicine. Based on these studies, the most common Aricept side effects were:

* Nausea -- occurring in up to 11 percent of people
* Diarrhea -- up to 10 percent
* Headache -- up to 10 percent
* Insomnia -- up to 9 percent
* Generalized pain -- up to 9 percent
* Dizziness -- up to 8 percent.

Other side effects of Aricept occurring in more than 2 percent of the people taking Aricept included:

* Muscle cramps
* Vomiting
* Fatigue
* Loss of appetite
* Skin discoloration
* Decrease in weight
* Depression
* Abnormal dreams
* Arthritis
* Fainting
* Tiredness
* Frequent urination.

Aricept Side Effects to Report

There are a number of side effects with Aricept that you should report immediately to your healthcare provider. These side effects include, but are not limited to:

* Severe diarrhea
* Severe nausea or vomiting
* Unexplained weight loss
* Stomach pain
* Changes in vision or balance
* Fainting spells
* Nervousness or agitation
* Uncontrollable movements
* Slow heartbeat
* Difficulty passing urine
* Worsening of asthma
* Seizures
* Stomach ulcers or intestinal ulcers
* Signs of an allergic reaction, such as an unexplained rash, hives, itching, swelling of the mouth or throat, wheezing, or difficulty breathing.

Rare Aricept Side Effects

During clinical trials, there were also other side effects that occurred in less than 2 percent of people taking Aricept. For these side effects, it is difficult to tell whether they were actually caused by the medication or something else. These possible Aricept side effects include, but are not limited to:

* Chest pain
* Hot flashes
* Bloating
* High blood pressure (hypertension)
* Gastrointestinal bleeding
* Dehydration
* Diabetes
* Hair loss
* Delusions
* Tremor
* Irritability
* Increased sex drive (libido)
* Sore throat
* Middle ear infection (otitis media)
* Blurred vision
* Abnormal crying
* Congestive heart failure.

Aricept Side Effects: Summary

It is possible that you may experience some of the Aricept side effects explained above or none at all. Unfortunately, there is no way for your healthcare provider to know beforehand if you will have a side effect from a medicine that you have never tried. Therefore, make sure to let your healthcare provider know if you develop any side effects or have any problems while taking Aricept. Also, tell your healthcare provider if something "just does not seem right." While it may not be an Aricept side effect, your healthcare provider will be able to diagnose and treat the problem.