memantine

Memantine

Memantine, sold under the brand name Namenda among others, is a medication used to slow the progression of moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's disease. It is taken by mouth. Common side effects include headache, constipation, sleepiness, and dizziness. Severe side effects may include blood clots, psychosis, and heart failure. It is believed to work by acting on NMDA receptors, working as a pore blocker of these ion channels. Memantine was first discovered in 1963. It was approved for medical use in Germany in 1989, in the European Union in 2002, and in the United States in 2003. It is available as a generic medication. In 2023, it was the 145th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 3 million prescriptions.