title: Comparison of adverse drug reactions with donepezil versus memantine: analysis of the French Pharmacovigilance Database.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Since donepezil and memantine are currently used for treating Alzheimer's disease, it is interesting to analyse, reassess and compare their safety profile in order to promote a better use.
  
  
  METHODS
  All spontaneous reports of suspected serious adverse drug reactions with donepezil alone and with memantine alone recorded in the French Pharmacovigilance Database during 6 years were retrospectively analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most frequent adverse drug reactions with donepezil alone and memantine alone were respectively: bradycardia (10% versus 7%), weakness (5% versus 6%) and convulsions (4% versus 3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The most adverse drug events with donepezil and with memantine are associated with elderly people, even if they do not receive any other treatment. Donepezil and memantine have an acceptable safety profile but physicians should take special care when they prescribe any drug known to cause bradycardia or to reduce the epileptogenic threshold.
authors.affiliation: Centre Régional de Pharmacovigilance, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Créteil, France. samy.babai@hmn.aphp.fr
authors.forename: Samy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Babai
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Auriche
authors.forename: Hervé
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Le-Louët
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy; D016208:Databases, Factual; D000077265:Donepezil; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D007189:Indans / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008559:Memantine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010880:Piperidines / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011358:Product Surveillance, Postmarketing
chemical_list: D007189:Indans; D018697:Nootropic Agents; D010880:Piperidines; D000077265:Donepezil; D008559:Memantine