Memantine: Price, Dosage & Where to Buy

Memantine is an NMDA receptor antagonist used in medicines for dementia. It is most commonly prescribed for moderate to severe dementia of the Alzheimer’s type.

Memantine is available as a generic medicine and requires a prescription in the United Kingdom. It is available in oral tablets, extended-release capsules and oral solution.

Memantine is indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe dementia of the Alzheimer’s type. Alzheimer’s disease can affect memory, thinking, communication and everyday activities. Memantine may be used when dementia has reached a moderate or severe stage.

The medicine is intended to help manage symptoms linked with this condition, rather than remove the underlying cause. A prescriber decides whether memantine is suitable, based on the person’s condition and other medicines. The extended-release capsule form is one available formulation, alongside tablets and oral solution.

Memantine is an NMDA receptor antagonist. NMDA receptors are found on nerve cells and respond to a chemical messenger called glutamate. In Alzheimer’s disease, excessive glutamate activity may contribute to unwanted stimulation of nerve cells.

Memantine blocks some of this activity while allowing normal signalling to continue. This may help protect nerve cells from excessive stimulation and support symptoms linked with moderate to severe Alzheimer’s dementia.

The medicine does not reverse the underlying disease or restore lost memory. Its effects and suitability vary between people, so treatment is monitored by a prescriber.

The label lists extended-release capsules in 7 mg, 14 mg, 21 mg, and 28 mg strengths. The label lists oral solution at 2 mg/mL. The label lists oral tablets, coated tablets, and film-coated tablets in 5 mg and 10 mg strengths.

The usual starting dose is 7 mg once daily for extended-release capsules. The label lists increases in 7 mg increments to a maintenance dose of 28 mg once daily, with at least one week between increases. The label lists 28 mg once daily as the maximum recommended dose.

The label lists 14 mg once daily as the maintenance and maximum recommended dose for severe renal impairment. The dose should only be increased when the previous dose has been well tolerated.

Extended-release capsules may be taken with or without food. They should not be divided, chewed, or crushed.

For a missed single dose of extended-release memantine, the label states that the next dose should be taken as scheduled and that the dose should not be doubled. If treatment has been missed for several days, dosing may need to be restarted at a lower dose and increased again as described by the prescriber. A pharmacist or prescriber can provide advice if several doses have been missed or if there is uncertainty about the treatment schedule.

There are no adequate data on the developmental risk associated with memantine in pregnant women. Adverse developmental effects, including decreased body weight and skeletal ossification, were observed in offspring of rats given memantine during pregnancy at doses higher than those used in humans at the maximum recommended daily dose.

There are no data on the presence of memantine in human milk, effects on a breastfed infant, or effects on milk production. Pregnancy or breastfeeding should be discussed with a doctor or pharmacist.

Store memantine hydrochloride extended-release capsules at 20° to 25°C, or 68° to 77°F, as stated on the label. Keep the medicine in its original packaging, protected from moisture and out of reach of children, to maintain quality.