Namenda (Memantine) for Alzheimer's

Overview
Namenda is a prescription drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat moderate to severe dementia associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Namenda is also referred to by its drug name, Memantine. Namenda is sometimes prescribed along with a cholinesterase inhibitor such as Aricept.

Namenda is an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist. Namenda is believed to work by regulating the amount of glutamate, a neurotransmitter, in the brain.

How do I take it?
Prescribing information states that Namenda is generally taken once or twice daily.

Namenda comes as a tablet or oral solution.

Side effects
The FDA-approved label for Namenda lists common side effects including headache, dizziness, confusion, and constipation.

Rare but serious side effects listed for Namenda include seizures.