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Medicines for Alzheimer's disease may slow or help manage changes in memory, reasoning and other thinking skills. Managing these symptoms may help people with Alzheimer's disease preserve abilities to perform daily activities and prolong their independence — factors that can improve the overall quality of life. Alzheimer's drugs don't work for everyone and may lose effectiveness over time. These medicines tend to be most effective for people with early to moderate Alzheimer's disease.

If your healthcare professional prescribes medicine as part of an Alzheimer's care plan, make sure you understand the possible benefits and risks. The treatment plan may change as the disease progresses.

Research into more-effective Alzheimer's medicines is ongoing. If you can't take the approved medicines or they don't work for you, ask your healthcare professional if you might enroll in a clinical trial.