VanDenBerg C M, Kazmi Y, Jann M W
Department of Pharmacy Practice, Mercer University, Southern School of Pharmacy, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, USA.
Drugs Aging. 2000 Feb;16(2):123-38. doi: 10.2165/00002512-200016020-00004.
The treatment of Alzheimer's disease is of increasing importance as the population ages and the number of people with the disease increases. The aetiology of Alzheimer's disease is complex and therefore treatment strategies rely on generalised pathological findings. Cholinesterase inhibitors enhance a generalised deficit of central nervous system acetylcholine and are the first class of agents specifically approved for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The clinical efficacy of the different cholinesterase inhibitors is similar; however, differences in pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic parameters can influence tolerability and safety in the elderly population. Concomitant disease states, significant drug interactions and the altered kinetics and dynamics seen in elderly patients can also affect treatment outcome. Although cholinesterase inhibitors are not 'curative' for Alzheimer's disease, clinical evidence indicates that these drugs can significantly delay the progress of cognitive impairment. Consequently, they represent a useful treatment for the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease in the elderly.
随着人口老龄化以及患阿尔茨海默病的人数增加，阿尔茨海默病的治疗变得愈发重要。阿尔茨海默病的病因复杂，因此治疗策略依赖于一般性的病理发现。胆碱酯酶抑制剂可改善中枢神经系统乙酰胆碱的一般性缺乏，是首批专门获批用于治疗阿尔茨海默病的药物类别。不同胆碱酯酶抑制剂的临床疗效相似；然而，药效学和药代动力学参数的差异会影响老年人群的耐受性和安全性。伴随的疾病状态、显著的药物相互作用以及老年患者中出现的动力学和动态变化也会影响治疗结果。尽管胆碱酯酶抑制剂不能“治愈”阿尔茨海默病，但临床证据表明这些药物可显著延缓认知功能障碍的进展。因此，它们是治疗老年人阿尔茨海默病症状的有效方法。
