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Indications - Donepezil is indicated for the symptomatic treatment of mild to moderate dementia of Alzheimer's type.

Dosage & Administration - 5 mg once daily orally at bed time. The 5 mg/day dose should be maintained for at least one month in order to allow the earliest clinical responses to treatment to be assessed and to allow steady-state concentrations of donepezil hydrochloride to be achieved. Following a one-month clinical assessment of treatment at 5 mg/day, the dose can be increased to 10 mg/day (once-a-day dosing). Since food does not affect the rate or extent of absorption of donepezil, it can be administered with or without food.

Side Effects - Generally well tolerated but some patients may experience nausea, vomiting & diarrhoea. These adverse events are of mild intensity and transient, resolving during continued treatment without the need for dose modification. Less frequent side effects are insomnia, fatigue, anorexia, muscle cramps, generalized seizure etc.

Contraindications - Donepezil is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to donepezil hydrochloride or to piperidine derivatives.

Others - Pregnancy & Lactation There are no adequate and well controlled studies in pregnant woman. Donepezil should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus. It is not known whether Donepezil Hydrochloride is secreted in human breast milk or not. Donepezil is not indicated in nursing mother.