Donepezil
Donepezil is a cholinesterase inhibitor taken once a day to ease Alzheimer's symptoms; PockDose lists plain Donepezil tablets and Aricept, both in 5mg and 10mg.
How donepezil works
Alzheimer's disease gradually destroys the nerve cells that use acetylcholine to pass signals, and the shortage shows up as poorer memory, attention and judgement. Donepezil is a cholinesterase inhibitor: it slows the enzyme (acetylcholinesterase) that breaks acetylcholine down, which leaves more of the messenger available to the cells still working. It treats the symptoms. The loss of brain cells carries on underneath, and no tablet in this class changes that.
Galantamine and rivastigmine work the same way, so they are donepezil's nearest relatives. Memantine is different: it calms glutamate signalling and is aimed at moderate to severe stages, sometimes alongside a cholinesterase inhibitor.
What it is used for
Alzheimer's disease is the licensed use, from the mild stage onwards, and it is also used for dementia with Lewy bodies and for dementia linked to Parkinson's disease. The gains are modest and vary: some people hold steady on memory, attention and daily routines for a time, while others notice little. Benefit is judged over months rather than days, and there is no point at which it cures anything.
The two listings
Donepezil tablets and Aricept are the same thing in practice: tablets in 5mg and 10mg containing only donepezil. Elsewhere the drug also comes as melt-in-the-mouth tablets and as a liquid, and in a fixed combination with memantine, but plain tablets are what this shop lists. The 5mg tablet is where treatment normally starts and the 10mg tablet is the usual long-term strength, so someone moving up after the first month may want both on hand. Treatment normally carries on for as long as it seems to be helping.
Safety points
Someone who has fainted before, or has heart block or sick sinus syndrome, needs care with donepezil because it slows the heart. Weight often falls in the first months as appetite drops.
People with asthma or COPD may breathe worse on it, and it can bring on seizures or make passing urine harder. Taking it with ibuprofen or similar painkillers raises the risk of stomach ulcers and bleeding.
Ketoconazole and quinidine raise donepezil levels; rifampicin, carbamazepine and phenytoin lower them. Anticholinergic medicines, such as some bladder treatments, cancel out its effect.
Sources
- Donepezil: medicine for dementia - NHS — UK National Health Service
- Medications for Memory, Cognition & Dementia-Related Behaviors | alz.org — alz.org
Can I order Donepezil online in Hong Kong?
Donepezil can be ordered online with delivery to Hong Kong. The page lists Donepezil tablets and generic Aricept, both as tablets covering 5mg and 10mg. An order can be cancelled within 24 hours provided it has not been dispatched, and support answers 24/7 in English and Cantonese.
What is the price of Donepezil?
Each of the two donepezil products has its own price per pack, shown on its page in HKD or your selected currency; larger packs usually cost less per unit.
Do I need a prescription to order Donepezil?
PockDose does not ask you to upload a prescription when you order donepezil. See the ordering FAQ for details.
What is another name for donepezil?
Aricept is a brand name of donepezil. Here, donepezil can be bought online as generic Aricept and donepezil tablets. These are generics, not the original brand.
What is the difference between donepezil and memantine?
Donepezil boosts acetylcholine and is used from the mild stage of Alzheimer's onward, while memantine regulates glutamate and is aimed at moderate to severe disease. They are different medicines, though they are sometimes taken together for later stages.
How long can someone stay on donepezil?
As long as it still seems to help, which for many people means years. It is usually reviewed every few months, and it is stopped or changed when side effects outweigh the benefit or when the disease has advanced so far that the tablet no longer makes a visible difference.
Is donepezil different from rivastigmine or galantamine?
They share the same mechanism and the same family of side effects, mainly nausea, diarrhoea and appetite loss. Donepezil is a once-daily tablet, while rivastigmine and galantamine are used as capsules, patches or twice-daily preparations.