[Alzheimer Disease].
OBJECTIVE
Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. There have been many advances in the pharmacological treatment of AD in recent years. This article discusses 2 of these advances: vascular prevention and a new molecule, memantine.


METHODS
The conclusions and recommendations in this article are based on data from studies providing level I and level II evidence.


RESULTS
Recent data suggest that vascular disease plays an important role in the physiopathology of AD. Memantine is a non-competitive, low-affinity N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist of glutamate that offers a very attractive efficacy and safety profile for treating moderate to severe AD.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevention and treatment of vascular risk factors should be an integral part of the management of AD. For the treatment of moderate to severe AD, memantine is a new option that is effective and well tolerated.
Massoud
Fadi
F
Hôpital Notre-Dame, Service de gériatrie, 1560, Sherbrooke Est, Montréal, (Québec) H2L 2M1. fadi-massoud@videotron.ca
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008559:Memantine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*
D002491:Central Nervous System Agents; D008559:Memantine