Tools and resources for your patients

Help them stay active and engaged

Useful information and online resources you can use to educate your patients about Alzheimer's disease and help them help themselves.

Answers to common questions about AD

Your patients and their caregivers may have a million questions about Alzheimer's disease, its possible causes, and what lies ahead for them. To help them understand the implication of the diagnosis and help them create an effective management plan, the following information is provided as a service to your patients. You can print this document and distribute it to your patients and their caregivers to help answer many commonly asked questions.

Print Frequently Asked Questions About Alzheimer's Disease.

Could my memory loss just be a sign of aging?⁷

In some instances, yes. Misplacing your eyeglasses or forgetting a phone number occasionally can be normal. However, if your forgetfulness interferes with your ability to work or perform daily activities and maybe other people are taking notice, you may have the warning signs of AD.

What is AD?^6,8

Alzheimer's disease is a brain disease that affects a person's ability to remember, reason, and communicate. More than 4.5 million Americans have AD. It is a progressive disease and the most common form of dementia that usually develops in people 65 years of age or older.

What causes AD?

To date, the causes are unknown, however, it is believed that microscopic structures called plaques and tangles form in the brains of people with AD. At the same time, brain cells begin to die. Although these changes occur throughout the brain, they happen mainly in those parts of the brain that are needed for memory, language, and reasoning. Other areas of the brain generally aren't affected until late in the illness.⁹

Although the cause is not clear, researchers have identified certain risk factors for AD including age, family history, genetics, a previous head injury, combination hormone replacement therapy in women, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and poor nutrition.⁸

What are the symptoms?⁹

The brain cell damage of AD often occurs long before any symptoms appear. The first thing most people experience is a loss of memory that interferes with their lives. People with AD also have trouble communicating, learning, thinking, and reasoning. As the disease progresses, personality changes may also be seen.

Is there a cure?⁶

There is no cure for AD, however, there are treatments that can help slow the progression of symptoms. Medical science is learning more about AD all the time, and new treatments are on the horizon.

How long does it take AD to progress?^7,8

AD advances at a different rate for every person. The period of illness can run on average from 3 to 20 years, but there are 3 distinct phases (mild, moderate and severe) with hallmark symptoms that allow caregivers to identify changes in behavior and monitor the progression of the disease with the doctor.

Can treatment stop the progression of memory loss and other symptoms?

No. The AD treatments available now can only slow down or stabilize memory loss for a period of time. Eventually, the disease will progress.

Resource Book

A companion to the RAZADYNE ER Sample Pak

This 38-page booklet accompanies every RAZADYNE ER Sample Pak you request. The Resource Book provides basic information about Alzheimer's disease, offers tips for caregivers, and identifies helpful resources for families of patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Download a copy of the Resource Book

When they know something is wrong...we can help

You've probably found that when your patients are diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, they often don't fully understand the implications of the diagnosis. These online Web sites provide the resources and tools your patients can use to find information and support after diagnosis. To view a Web site, turn on your Web browser and click on the site's address.

Ortho-McNeil Neurologics, division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has designed a consumer Web site – www.RazadyneER.com -- to provide patients with information about Alzheimer's disease and its treatment with RAZADYNE ER. After you prescribe RAZADYNE ER, you can direct your patients to this Web site, where they'll find useful tools and information to help manage their disease.

Download this list of resources

Disclaimer: The following resources are listed here as a service to provide you with information to share with your patients. The information includes resources developed and maintained by Ortho-McNeil Neurologics, division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., as well as external sites that link you to resources and tools. Neither Ortho-McNeil Neurologics, division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. nor RAZADYNE ER endorses the content on any of the external sites provided, but offers them as an informational resource to be used at your discretion.

Online Informational Web Sites
RAZADYNE ER (galantamine HBr) Web Site	www.razadyneER.com	Information about Alzheimer's disease and treatment with RAZADYNE ER
Alzheimer's Association	www.alz.org	In-depth information and resources about Alzheimer's disease. The Alzheimer's Association has chapters nationwide that provide educational programs and support groups for caregivers and family members of people with Alzheimer's disease.
Alzheimer's Foundation of America	www.alzfdn.org	Information about care, services and member organizations
Administration on Aging	www.aoa.gov/alz	Information for families, caregivers and professionals from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
National Institute on Aging	www.nia.nih.gov	General information, causes, symptoms and treatment
Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral Center (ADEAR)	www.alzheimers.org	Information and resources from the U.S. Government's National Institute on Aging
Hotlines
Alzheimer's Association 24-hour Hotline	1-800-272-3900
Alzheimer's Disease Education & Referral (ADEAR) Center Hotline	1-800-438-4380
Safe Return® 24-Hour Enrollment	1-888-572-8566

Alzheimer's Association. What is Alzheimer's disease? Available at http://alz.org/AboutAD/WhatIsAD.asp. Accessed January 30, 2007.
Alzheimer's Association. Stages of Alzheimer's Disease. Available at http://alz.org/aboutad/stages.asp. Accessed January 30, 2007.
Alzheimer's Association. Alzheimer's disease fact sheet. Available at http://www.alz.org/national/documents/
FSADFacts.pdf. January 30, 2007.
National Institute on Aging. The changing brain in Alzheimer's disease. Available at: http://www.nia.nih.gov/Alzheimers/
Publications/UnravelingTheMystery/
Part1/ChangingBrainInAlzheimer.htm. Accessed January 30, 2007.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Most frequent adverse events
In clinical trials, the most frequent adverse events with RAZADYNE ER were similar to those seen with RAZADYNE.

The most frequent adverse events that occurred with RAZADYNE were nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, and weight loss.

Anesthesia
Cholinesterase inhibitors, such as galantamine HBr, are likely to exaggerate the neuromuscular blocking effects of succinylcholine-type and similar neuromuscular blocking agents during anesthesia.

Cardiovascular events
Because of their pharmacological action, cholinesterase inhibitors have vagotonic effects on the sinoatrial and atrioventricular (AV) nodes, leading to bradycardia and AV block. These actions may be particularly important to patients with supraventricular cardiac conduction disorders or to patients taking other drugs concomitantly that significantly slow heart rate. In clinical trials, galantamine HBr was associated with more frequent reports of bradycardia and syncope vs placebo.

Gastrointestinal
Cholinesterase inhibitors may increase gastric acid secretion. Patients should be monitored closely for symptoms of active or occult gastrointestinal bleeding, especially those with an increased risk of developing ulcers, eg, those with a history of ulcer disease or patients using concurrent nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Genitourinary
Cholinesterase inhibitors may cause bladder outflow obstruction.

Neurological conditions
Cholinesterase inhibitors are believed to have some potential to cause generalized convulsions. In clinical trials, there was no increase in the incidence of convulsions with galantamine HBr compared with placebo.

Pulmonary conditions
Cholinesterase inhibitors should be prescribed with care to patients with a history of asthma or obstructive pulmonary disease.

Deaths in subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI)
In controlled trials in elderly subjects with MCI, 13 subjects on RAZADYNE (n=1026) and 1 subject on placebo (n=1022) died of various causes. About half of the RAZADYNE deaths appeared to result from various vascular causes (myocardial infarction, stroke, and sudden death). RAZADYNE and RAZADYNE ER are not indicated for the treatment of MCI.

Hepatic or renal impairment
In patients with moderately impaired hepatic or renal function, dose titration should proceed cautiously. The use of RAZADYNE or RAZADYNE ER in patients with severe hepatic impairment or severely impaired renal function
(Cl_cr <9 mL/min) is not recommended.

Please see full Prescribing Information.

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