title: Cardiac safety of donepezil in elderly patients with Alzheimer disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Donepezil is a widely used cholinesterase inhibitor for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD), however its cholinergic adverse side effects on the cardiovascular system are still unclear. In this study, we aimed to examine the adverse side effects caused by donepezil on cardiac rhythm and postural blood pressure changes in elderly patients with Alzheimer Disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  The ECG parameters including heart rate, PR, QT, QTc interval and QRS duration and postural blood pressure changes were recorded at the baseline and at each donepezil dose level (5 and 10 mg/d). Patients Seventy-one consecutive patients who were referred by primary care centers to a Geriatric Clinic were enrolled and underwent comprehensive geriatric assessment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-two subjects completed the study. There were no significant changes relative to the baseline in any of the ECG parameters or arterial blood pressure at any of the investigated dosages of donepezil.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was demonstrated that donepezil was not associated with increased negative chronotropic, arrhythmogenic or hypotensive effects for elderly patients with Alzheimer's disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University, Faculty of Medicine, Turkey. atisik@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ahmet Turan
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Isik
authors.forename: Gulsen Babacan
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Yildiz
authors.forename: Ergun
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bozoglu
authors.forename: Adnan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yay
authors.forename: Emine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aydemir
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000139:chemically induced; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077265:Donepezil; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007022:Hypotension / Q000139:chemically induced; D007189:Indans / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010880:Piperidines / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D007189:Indans; D018697:Nootropic Agents; D010880:Piperidines; D000077265:Donepezil