Treatment Overview
Current Alzheimer’s Treatment Options
Alzheimer’s treatment may include medications for memory and thinking symptoms, disease-modifying therapies for some people with early Alzheimer’s disease, treatment for behavioral symptoms, and non-drug approaches that support safety, function, and quality of life.
| Type of treatment | Examples | General purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Symptom-focused medications | Donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine, memantine | May help with memory, thinking, or daily-function symptoms for some people. |
| Disease-modifying therapies | Leqembi® (lecanemab), Kisunla® (donanemab) | FDA-approved options for certain people in the early symptomatic stages of Alzheimer’s disease. These medicines require specialist evaluation and safety monitoring. |
| Medications for agitation | FDA-approved options are available | May be considered when agitation related to Alzheimer’s disease is persistent or severe and non-drug approaches are not enough. |
| Supportive care | Caregiver education, safety planning, exercise, sleep and medical care | Supports day-to-day function, health, safety, and quality of life throughout the disease journey. |
National Institute on Aging: Treatment Overview FDA: Alzheimer’s Disease Information Patient-Friendly Overview
This information is educational. Treatment decisions should be made with the patient’s healthcare team using the most current FDA prescribing information and individual medical history.