WEDNESDAY, June 28, 2006 (HealthDay News) -- The first drug to treat dementia associated with Parkinson's disease has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Novartis Pharmaceutical's Exelon (rivastigmine tartrate) is already sanctioned to treat mild-to-moderate dementia associated with Alzheimer's disease, the agency said in a statement.
Almost 0.5 percent of people older than 65 have Parkinson's dementia, including such symptoms as impaired memory and attention. Exelon's effectiveness was established in 24-week clinical trials involving 541 people with mild-to-moderate dementia associated with Parkinson's, the FDA said.
Common adverse reactions to the drug included nausea, weight loss, anorexia, and loss of strength, the agency said.
More information
Find out more about Parkinson's from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
