88 yr old prescribed aricept (donepezil) for confusion but not diagnosed with alzheimer's. is this wise? she's developed fecal incontinence.

Aricept (donepezil): A few issues to address: confusion in elderly can be due to many, many causes and needs thorough evaluation. Alzheimer's dementia actually is still a diagnosis of exclusion, once everything else is ruled out. So, during disease evaluation, Aricept (donepezil) or other medications often are prescribed to delay the progression, if present. Aricept (donepezil) can give diarrhea, which may not be present at a lower dose.

Get a diagnosis: Confusion after age 85, is due to alzheimer's in 45% of patients, and, if necessary, pet studies could confirm. The meds listed may be the culprit, as both have strong anti-cholinergic side effects. The bowel issues could be associated with the dementia, but diarrhea is a problem with donepezil, and she may do better with Exelon (rivastigmine) patch. See a neurologist or geriatrician and go forwards.

Depends : Talk to prescriber to see if the real diagnosis is some type of dementia. Alzheimer's is not the only type of dementia we use Aricept (donepezil) to treat. Aricept (donepezil) can cause diarrhea or lose stools. Contact the prescriber for further advice.