Galantamine: use in Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders

Galantamine (Reminyl) has long been used as a traditional medicine and has an interesting pharmacology as it is both a reversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitor and an allosteric potentiator of nicotinic cholinergic receptors. The efficacy of galantamine has been studied in an extensive development program in Alzheimer's disease, and mixed and vascular dementia. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of up to 6 months duration and subsequent open-label follow-up studies have produced a broad spectrum of beneficial effects on cognitive and noncognitive disease symptoms. Apparent benefits for caregivers paralleled these, with a potentially reduced burden and cost. It appears that early and continued treatment maximizes the observed effects, which translate into economic terms, when applied to cost-effectiveness models. Overall, galantamine has a broad ranging efficacy and tolerability across an increasing range of conditions.