Vascular dementia: pharmacological treatment approaches and perspectives.
Vascular dementia is a common condition for which there are no effective approved pharmacological treatments available. Absence of effective treatments creates a difficult situation for those suffering from the disease, their caregivers, and healthcare providers. This review will address our current understanding of the mechanisms of nerve cell damage due to ischemia and summarize available clinical trial data on several commonly used compounds including memantine, donepezil, galantamine, rivastigmine, nimodipine, hydergine, nicergoline, CDP-choline, folic acid, as well as such nonpharmacological approaches as validation therapy.
Baskys
Andrius
A
Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, California, USA. abaskys@uci.edu
Hou
Anthony C
AC
D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D018697:Nootropic Agents; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate; D018698:Glutamic Acid