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Aricept Side Effects

A brief guide to the side effects of Aricept

The prescription medication Aricept can help improve memory and other mental functions in patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Aricept side effects can be severe but may diminish with prolonged use of the drug. Patients should carefully monitor their intake carefully and report prolonged side effects of Aricept to a physician who can decide if this treatment should be discontinued. 

Dosage should begin with a 5 milligram tablet taken daily. During the first four to six weeks of treatment, patients may experience Aricept side effects that occur when taking many different medications. Common side effects of Aricept may include headaches and trouble sleeping. Patients should also be alert to signs of serious digestive problems, including bloody stools or vomit. Such Aricept side effects may indicate that you should not be taking this medication.

Patients who have cardiac problems should report these to a physician. Such patients should be especially alert to side effects of Aricept such as slow heartbeats or fainting. If you experience either of these Aricept side effects, seek out medical attention immediately. Those who have digestive problems may find that side effects of Aricept aggravate internal bleeding or other pre-existing conditions.

The drug should be taken daily at roughly the same time. After observing Aricept side effects during your initial course of treatment, a physician may increase the dosage to 10 mg. If side effects of Aricept from this dosage are manageable but no aid is obtained from taking the drug, a physician may raise the prescription to the maximum 23 mg pill. Aricept side effects may increase in severity from this largest form of the drug.

Read the manufacturer's guidelines carefully before beginning this course of treatment. Information which is provided when you purchase the drug clearly outlines all possible side effects of Aricept. It is the responsibility of the patient or their caretaker to understand the risks of treatment and contact a physician as appropriate. If you experience serious Aricept side effects, do not discontinue intake until you have spoken with a physician.

A physician should respond appropriately to control side effects of Aricept and otherwise ensure patient safety. Because the manufacturer's warnings are clear and thorough, they are unlikely to be at fault if a patient experiences serious adverse Aricept side effects. If you experience side effects of Aricept which are not warned against in prescription information, you may wish to contact the FDA.

Patients or their loved ones who feel a doctor has been negligent should contact a lawyer to see if a strong malpractice lawsuit can be brought forward. In order to do so, an attorney will need to be able to demonstrate a strong link between use of the drug and serious Aricept side effects that a doctor failed to take proper steps to alleviate. You will not be able to bring forth a lawsuit if side effects of Aricept occurred due to disregard of physician instructions.

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