Low dose of rivastigmine just as effective for Alzheimer's

Rivastigmine can slow down the progression of Alzheimer's disease although it cannot cure it. Unfortunately it can have a number of side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diaorrhea, stomach pain, dizziness, lack of appetite and fainting. Previous studies have shown that smaller, more frequent doses of rivastigmine can still be effective and reduce the incidence of side effects. A review of nine studies by the Cochrane Collaboration (one of the world's leading authorities in evidence-based medicine) has found that a skin patch which delivers smaller doses of the drug was just as effective but produced fewer side effects. The studies - which included a total of 4,775 participants found that people taking the lower dose of the drug scored similarly on cognitive function tests. However, only half of the people taking the lower dose suffered side effects, compared to two-thirds of those taking the higher dose.

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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090423203925.htm