Side effects of drugs used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease

Medications used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease include the acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs, i.e., donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine), the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NDMAR) antagonist, memantine, and the anti-amyloid beta monoclonal antibody, aducanumab. This chapter of the Side Effects of Drugs Annual series captures the literature regarding the side effects of these medications from January 2022 to December 2022. Highlights include the association of dysphagia with rivastigmine, case reports of donepezil-induced hallucinations, and the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms and pharmacokinetics for donepezil and memantine. A special focus is given to aducanumab and the development of amyloid-related imaging abnormalities, including a discussion of safety data from randomized clinical trials and descriptions of case reports to demonstrate key concepts.