What are Cholinesterase Inhibitors (ChE-Is)?
ChE-Is are a group of drugs that are used as a part of the treatment plan for mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. The three most commonly used ChE-Is are donepezil (Aricept, Eisai, Inc), rivastigmine (Exelon, Novartis Pharmaceuticals), and galantamine (Reminyl, Janssen Pharmaceuticals). Tacrine (Cognex, First Horizon Pharmaceutical Corp.) was the first ChE-I approved for treatment of dementia 3. However, it is not recommended for use anymore due to its negative effects on the liver. These medications can provide modest and temporary improvements in memory or slow down the rate of decline in memory, improve thinking (decision making), and improve behavior 4.
