Honolulu, Hawaii (April 4, 2003) -- The leading Alzheimer's treatment, ARICEPT (donepezil HCl tablets), may also benefit patients with vascular dementia (VaD), according to a study analysis presented at the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) 55th Annual Meeting. There are no medications approved to treat VaD, which affects approximately 1.3 million Americans. VaD is caused by a single, localized stroke or series of strokes. A supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) is under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of VaD with ARICEPT. ARICEPT is indicated for the treatment of mild to moderate AD.

This study analysis presented at AAN compared treated and untreated Alzheimer's disease (AD) and VaD patients. In these distinct populations, patients treated with ARICEPT demonstrated significant improvements in cognition, behavior, and activities of daily living, compared to those receiving placebo. There were important differences in the treatment response between AD and VaD patients. This study suggests that for VaD patients an important measure of treatment success is the improvement of symptoms. Treatment success for AD patients includes improvement, stabilization or a less-than-expected decline.

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"Currently, more than 60 percent of VaD patients are undiagnosed," said Dr. Stephen Salloway, director of Neurology and The Memory Disorders Program and associate professor of Clinical Neurosciences at Brown Medical School, Providence, Rhode Island. "This analysis supports the need for physicians to diagnose, as well as treat, their VaD patients. As the population ages and more people are at risk for VaD, treatment will become more critical than ever to address this growing health care issue."

Study Details
The research is a post-hoc analysis of 12 prospective studies, including two 24-week, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled
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4-Apr-2003

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