Kubo_2012_J.Cardiovasc.Pharmacol_60_310

ABSTRACT To study prospectively influences of donepezil an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor against Alzheimer disease on cardiovascular system we evaluated cardiovascular changes occurring during new initialized treatment with donepezil in 49 dementia patients over 6 months No patient suffered from cardiovascular events In clinical changes between baseline and the first evaluation after donepezil treatment heart rate and plasma brain natriuretic peptide BNP levels as a marker for heart failure did not change BNP 59.62 62.71 pg/mL at baseline to 53.18 42.34 pg/mL at first evaluation P 0.262 We further examined plasma BNP levels in 2 groups into which the patients were divided at baseline according to the cut-off plasma BNP level of 60 pg/mL In patients with high level of BNP the BNP levels decreased after administration of donepezil 116.39 76.58 pg/mL at baseline to 82.24 46.64 pg/mL at first evaluation P 0.011 with the tendency to be reduced in the follow-up period BNP did not change in patients with low level of BNP Donepezil seemed to be safe in patients with dementia without symptomatic heart disease and significantly decreased plasma BNP levels in patients with subclinical chronic heart failure.