A newly-admitted patient's medication orders include donepezil hydrochloride (Aricept). The nurse knows this medication is prescribed for

Donepezil hydrochloride is prescribed for mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. Cholinergic drugs, also called parasympathomimetic drugs, work by increasing the concentration of acetylcholine. Acetylcholine relays messages between brain nerve cells. In Alzheimer's. there is also destruction of nerve cells that use acetylcholine. Decreased acetylcholine levels and progressive loss of nerve cells are linked to worsening symptoms. The drug can slow the progression of the disease, but not reverse it.