Aricept^*

donepezil hydrochloride

What Aricept is used for

Aricept tablets are used to treat Alzheimer's disease, also called dementia of the Alzheimer's type.

Aricept will not cure this disease, but should help your memory and improve your thinking capacity.

Aricept belongs to a group of medicines called acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. They are thought to work by increasing the level of a chemical called acetylcholine in the brain.

Before you take Aricept

When you must not take it

Do not take Aricept if you have an allergy to

Aricept or related medicines
any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet

Symptoms of an allergic reaction to these medicines may include:

asthma, wheezing or shortness of breath
swelling of the face, lips, or tongue which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing
hives, itching or skin rash
fainting.

Do not give Aricept to children.

The safety and effectiveness of Aricept in children have not been established.

Do not take Aricept if:

the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering
the expiry date (EXP) marked on the pack has passed.

If you are not sure whether you should be taking Aricept, talk to your doctor.

Before you start to take it

You must tell your doctor if:

You are allergic to any foods, dyes, preservatives or any other medicines.
You are pregnant, breastfeeding, or intend to become pregnant or breastfeed. Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of using Aricept when pregnant or breastfeeding.
You plan to go to hospital for surgery that requires a general anaesthetic.
You have, or have had, any health problems, especially the following:
- heart problems
- stomach problems, particularly gastric or duodenal ulcer
- seizures or fits (epilepsy)
- asthma or respiratory problems
- bladder or prostate problems, particularly difficulty in trying to urinate

Taking other medicines

Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop. Some medicines and Aricept may interfere with each other. These include:

any other medicine for dementia (eg Cognex)
some medicines used to relieve stomach cramps or spasms, Parkinson's disease or travel sickness
some medicines used to treat difficulty in passing urine
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) - medicines used to treat arthritis, pain or inflammation
some medicines used to relax muscles
some medicines used to treat high blood pressure or fast heart beat
some medicines for treating asthma, diarrhoea, depression, schizophrenia and related mental conditions, or used in general anaesthesia

If you are not sure if you are taking any of these medicines, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Your doctor or pharmacist has more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking Aricept.

If you have not told your doctor or pharmacist about these things, tell them before you start taking Aricept.

How to take Aricept

Follow all directions given to you by your doctor and pharmacist carefully.They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.

If you do not understand the instructions on the packaging, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.

How much to take

The usual starting dose for Aricept is one 5 mg tablet each day. After one month, this may be increased up to 10 mg a day.

However, depending on your condition and how you react to the medicine, your doctor may ask you to take some other dose.

How to take it

Swallow the tablets with a glass of water or other liquid.

Take the tablet every night just before you go to bed.

Aricept can be taken with or without food.

How long to take it

You may need to take Aricept for a long time. Keep taking it until your doctor says to stop.

It may take several weeks for Aricept to take effect, so do not be discouraged if you do not see an improvement straight away.

If you forget to take it

If you forget to take a tablet, just take one tablet the following day at the usual time then continue as normal.

Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose you missed.

If you forget to take it for more than one week, call your doctor before taking any more.

If you take too much (overdose)

Immediately telephone your doctor or go to Accident and Emergency (Casualty) at your nearest hospital, if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much Aricept. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.You may need urgent medical attention.

If you take too many tablets, you may feel sick in the stomach, vomit or get increased sweating or saliva production. You may also have a slow heart beat, feel dizzy, have trouble breathing, faint, have fits or feel weak.

While you are taking it

Things you must do

Tell all doctors, dentists and pharmacists who are treating you that you are taking Aricept.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist that you are taking Aricept if you are about to be started on any new medicines.

Tell your doctor immediately if you become pregnant while taking Aricept. If you are a woman of child-bearing age, you should avoid becoming pregnant while taking Aricept.

Tell your doctor immediately if you begin breastfeeding or wish to breastfeed while taking Aricept.

If you are going to have surgery requiring a general anaesthetic, tell your doctor you are taking Aricept. Your doctor may ask you to stop taking Aricept a few days before you have surgery.

Things you must not do

Do not give this medicine to anyone else, even if his or her symptoms seem similar to yours.

Do not use Aricept to treat any other complaints unless your doctor says to.

Things to be careful of

If you drive a motor vehicle or operate machinery you should ask your doctor whether you should continue to do so.

Aricept will probably not affect your ability, but your condition may have made you less able to drive or operate the machinery.

Side effects

Check with your doctor as soon as possible if you have any problems while taking Aricept, even if you do not think the problems are connected with the medicine or are not listed in this leaflet.

Like other medicines, Aricept can cause some side effects. If they occur, most are likely to be minor and temporary. However, some may be serious and need medical attention.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.

Tell your doctor immediately, or go to your nearest hospital if you notice any of the following:

fainting, especially if you have a slow or irregular heart beat
vomiting blood or material that looks like coffee grounds
black sticky bowel motions (stools)

These symptoms are likely to be rare but may be serious and need urgent medical attention.

Tell your doctor if you experience:

any sign of a stomach ulcer which may include heartburn, indigestion, or stomach pain
headache, dizziness, difficulty in sleeping, tiredness
feeling sick, diarrhoea, vomiting, loss of appetite, weight loss
bruising
muscle cramps, joint pain
depression, unusual dreams, sleepiness
difficulty in urinating or passing urine more often
seeing, feeling or hearing things that are not there
agitation, aggressive behaviour, convulsions or fits
unusual moments including trembling and shaking of the hands and fingers, shuffling walk and stiffness of the arms and legs
weakness, shortness of breath, yellowing of the skin, dark brown urine and stomach pain
confusion
sudden increase in body temperature, extremely high blood pressure and severe convulsions
severe upper stomach pain, often with nausea, vomiting and fever

These symptoms are usually mild.

This is not a complete list of all possible side effects. Others may occur in some people and there may be some side effects not yet known.

Tell your doctor if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell, even if it is not on this list.

After taking Aricept

Storage

Keep your tablets where young children cannot reach them.

A locked cupboard at least 1½ metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.

Keep Aricept in a cool, dry place where the temperature stays below 30°C (86°F). Do not store it or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink. Do not leave it in the car or on window sills. Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.

Keep your tablets in their blister pack until it is time to take them.

Disposal

If your doctor tells you to stop taking Aricept, or the tablets have passed their expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to do with any left over.

Product description

What it looks like

Aricept 5 mg - white, round tablets with 5 on one side and Aricept on the other.
Aricept 10 mg - yellow, round tablets with 10 on one side and Aricept on the other.

A box contains 28 tablets.

Ingredients

Active ingredients

Aricept 5 mg - 5 mg donepezil hydrochloride/ tablet.
Aricept 10 mg - 10 mg donepezil hydrochloride/ tablet.

Other ingredients

lactose, maize starch, microcrystalline cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, magnesium stearate, talc, polyethylene glycol, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, titanium dioxide.

The 10 mg tablet also contains yellow iron oxide.