Donepezil (Transdermal)

Generic name: Donepezil
Drug class: Cholinesterase inhibitors

Usage of Donepezil (Transdermal)

Donepezil skin patch is used to mild, moderate, and severe dementia (memory loss and mental changes) associated with Alzheimer's disease.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Donepezil (Transdermal) side effects

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

More common

Diarrhea

nausea

vomiting

Less common

Aggressive, angry

back pain

bleeding gums

blurred vision

chest pain

confusion

coughing up blood

decreased urination

difficulty in breathing or swallowing

discouragement

dizziness

dry mouth

fainting

feeling sad or empty

headache

increase in heart rate

increased menstrual flow or vaginal bleeding

irritability

lack of appetite

lightheadedness

loss of bladder control

loss of interest or pleasure

nervousness

nosebleeds

paralysis

pounding in the ears

prolonged bleeding from cuts

rapid breathing

red or dark brown urine

red or black, tarry stools

seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there

sleepiness or unusual drowsiness

slow or fast heartbeat

sunken eyes

thirst

trouble concentrating

trouble sleeping

unusual tiredness or weakness

wrinkled skin

Incidence not known

Anxiety

back, leg, or stomach pains

blistering, burning, crusting, dryness, or flaking of the skin where the patch is applied

bloating

blood in the vomit

chest pain, discomfort, or tightness

chills

coma

constipation

dark urine

fever

general body swelling

increased thirst

indigestion

itching, scaling, severe redness, soreness, or swelling of the skin where the patch is applied

light-colored stools

muscle aches, pain, stiffness, or cramps

pains in stomach, side, or abdomen, possibly radiating to the back

pale skin

seizures

severe or continuing stomach pain

shaking

sore throat

sweating

swelling of the face, ankles, or hands

upper right abdominal or stomach pain

vomiting of blood or material that looks like coffee

yellowing of the eyes or skin

Get emergency help immediately if any of the following symptoms of overdose occur:

Symptoms of overdose

Blurred vision

chest pain or discomfort

confusion

dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position

increased watering of the mouth

irregular, fast or slow, or shallow breathing

lightheadedness, dizziness or fainting

nausea

pale or blue lips, fingernails, or skin

seizures

sweating

trouble breathing

unusual tiredness or weakness

vomiting

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common

Accident

bruising

large, flat, blue or purplish patches in the skin

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Donepezil (Transdermal)

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of donepezil skin patch in the pediatric population. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

Geriatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of donepezil skin patch in the elderly.

Breast Feeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Interactions with Medicines

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

Bepridil

Cisapride

Dronedarone

Fluconazole

Ketoconazole

Levoketoconazole

Mesoridazine

Pimozide

Piperaquine

Posaconazole

Saquinavir

Sparfloxacin

Terfenadine

Thioridazine

Ziprasidone

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

Abiraterone Acetate

Acetophenazine

Aclidinium

Acrivastine

Adagrasib

Alcaftadine

Alfentanil

Alfuzosin

Amantadine

Ambenonium

Amdinocillin

Amdinocillin Pivoxil

Amifampridine

Amineptine

Aminophylline

Amiodarone

Amisulpride

Amitriptyline

Amitriptylinoxide

Amoxapine

Amphetamine

Ampicillin

Anagrelide

Anisotropine

Antazoline

Apomorphine

Aripiprazole

Aripiprazole Lauroxil

Arsenic Trioxide

Asenapine

Astemizole

Atazanavir

Atomoxetine

Atropine

Azatadine

Azelastine

Azithromycin

Azlocillin

Bacampicillin

Baclofen

Bedaquiline

Belladonna Alkaloids

Benperidol

Benzhydrocodone

Benzphetamine

Bepotastine

Bornaprine

Bromodiphenhydramine

Bromperidol

Brompheniramine

Buclizine

Bupivacaine

Buprenorphine

Bupropion

Buserelin

Butorphanol

Butriptyline

Butylscopolamine

Carbenicillin

Carbinoxamine

Ceritinib

Chlorambucil

Chloroquine

Chlorotrianisene

Chlorpheniramine

Chlorphenoxamine

Chlorpromazine

Cimetropium

CinaCalcet

Cinnarizine

Ciprofloxacin

Citalopram

Clarithromycin

Clemastine

Clemizole

Clidinium

Clofazimine

Clomipramine

Clothiapine

Cloxacillin

Clozapine

Cobicistat

Cocaine

Codeine

Conjugated Estrogens

Crizotinib

Cyclacillin

Cyclizine

Cyclobenzaprine

Cyclopentolate

Cyclosporine

Cyproheptadine

Dabrafenib

Darifenacin

Dasatinib

Degarelix

Delamanid

Demecarium

Desipramine

Deslorelin

Desvenlafaxine

Deutetrabenazine

Dexbrompheniramine

Dexchlorpheniramine

Dexmedetomidine

Dextroamphetamine

Dibenzepin

Dicloxacillin

Dicyclomine

Dienestrol

Diethylstilbestrol

Difenoxin

Dihydrocodeine

Dimenhydrinate

Dimethindene

Diphenhydramine

Diphenylpyraline

Disopyramide

Distigmine

Dixyrazine

Dofetilide

Dolasetron

Domperidone

Dothiepin

Doxepin

Doxylamine

Droperidol

Duloxetine

Ebastine

Echothiophate

Edrophonium

Efavirenz

Eliglustat

Emedastine

Encorafenib

Enflurane

Entrectinib

Epinastine

Eribulin

Erythromycin

Escitalopram

Esterified Estrogens

Estradiol

Estramustine

Estriol

Estrone

Estropipate

Ethinyl Estradiol

Ethopropazine

Etrasimod

Etravirine

Famotidine

Felbamate

Fentanyl

Fesoterodine

Fexinidazole

Fingolimod

Flavoxate

Flecainide

Floxacillin

Flunarizine

Fluoxetine

Fluphenazine

Fluvoxamine

Formoterol

Foscarnet

Fosphenytoin

Fostemsavir

Galantamine

Gatifloxacin

Gemifloxacin

Gepirone

Glasdegib

Glycopyrrolate

Gonadorelin

Goserelin

Granisetron

Guanidine

Halofantrine

Haloperidol

Hetacillin

Histrelin

Homatropine

Hydrocodone

Hydromorphone

Hydroquinidine

Hydroxyamphetamine

Hydroxychloroquine

Hyoscyamine

Ibutilide

Iloperidone

Imipramine

Indalpine

Inotuzumab Ozogamicin

Iprindole

Isoflurophate

Isoniazid

Isopropamide

Itraconazole

Ivabradine

Ivosidenib

Ketamine

Ketotifen

Lapatinib

Lefamulin

Lenvatinib

Leuprolide

Levocabastine

Levofloxacin

Levomilnacipran

Levorphanol

Lidocaine

Lindane

Lisdexamfetamine

Lithium

Lofepramine

Lofexidine

Loxapine

Lumefantrine

Macimorelin

Mebeverine

Mebhydrolin

Meclizine

Mefenamic Acid

Mefloquine

Melitracen

Melperone

Mepenzolate

Meperidine

Mestranol

Methadone

Methamphetamine

Methantheline

Methdilazine

Methicillin

Methixene

Methotrimeprazine

Methylphenidate

Metopimazine

Metronidazole

Mezlocillin

Mifepristone

Milnacipran

Mirtazapine

Mizolastine

Mobocertinib

Moricizine

Morphine

Moxifloxacin

Nafarelin

Nafcillin

Nalbuphine

Nalidixic Acid

Nefazodone

Nelfinavir

Neostigmine

Niaprazine

Nilotinib

Norfloxacin

Nortriptyline

Octreotide

Ofloxacin

Olanzapine

Olopatadine

Ondansetron

Opipramol

Orphenadrine

Osilodrostat

Osimertinib

Oxacillin

Oxaliplatin

Oxatomide

Oxybutynin

Oxycodone

Oxymorphone

Ozanimod

Pacritinib

Paliperidone

Panobinostat

Paroxetine

Pasireotide

Pazopanib

Peginterferon Alfa-2b

Penicillin G

Penicillin V

Pentamidine

Pentazocine

Perazine

Periciazine

Perphenazine

Phenindamine

Pheniramine

Phenobarbital

Phenylpropanolamine

Phenyltoloxamine

Physostigmine

Pimavanserin

Pinaverium

Pipamperone

Piperacillin

Pipotiazine

Pirenzepine

Pitolisant

Pivampicillin

Pizotyline

Polyestradiol Phosphate

Ponesimod

Primidone

Probucol

Procainamide

Procaine

Prochlorperazine

Promazine

Promestriene

Promethazine

Propafenone

Propantheline

Propicillin

Propiverine

Propizepine

Propoxyphene

Protriptyline

Pyrilamine

Quetiapine

Quinestrol

Quinidine

Quinine

Quizartinib

Ranolazine

Relugolix

Remifentanil

Ribociclib

Rilpivirine

Risperidone

Ritonavir

Rivastigmine

Scopolamine

Selpercatinib

Sertindole

Sertraline

Sevoflurane

Sibutramine

Siponimod

Sodium Phosphate

Sodium Phosphate, Dibasic

Sodium Phosphate, Monobasic

Solifenacin

Sorafenib

Sotalol

Succinylcholine

Sufentanil

Sulbenicillin

Sulpiride

Sultamicillin

Sunitinib

Tacrine

Tacrolimus

Tamoxifen

Tapentadol

Telaprevir

Telavancin

Telithromycin

Temocillin

Terbinafine

Tetrabenazine

Theophylline

Thiethylperazine

Thiopropazate

Thioproperazine

Thonzylamine

Tianeptine

Tibolone

Ticarcillin

Timiperone

Tiotropium

Tolterodine

Toremifene

Tramadol

Trazodone

Triclabendazole

Trifluoperazine

Triflupromazine

Trimeprazine

Trimipramine

Tripelennamine

Triprolidine

Triptorelin

Tropicamide

Trospium

Umeclidinium

Valethamate

Vandetanib

Vardenafil

Vemurafenib

Venlafaxine

Vilanterol

Vinflunine

Voclosporin

Voriconazole

Vorinostat

Zuclopenthixol

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

Ramelteon

Interactions with Food/Tobacco/Alcohol

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following is usually not recommended, but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Bitter Orange

Grapefruit Juice

Relate drugs

How to use Donepezil (Transdermal)

Use this medicine exactly as directed by your doctor. Do not use more of it, do not use it more often, and do not use it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. To do so may increase the chance of side effects.

This medicine comes with patient instructions and patient information leaflet. Read and follow these instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have questions.

To use the patch:

Make sure you wash your hands with soap and water before and after applying the patch.

Remove the patch from the refrigerator. Allow the pouch to reach room temperature before opening and applying the patch. Do not apply a cold patch. Do not use heat (including microwave, hair dryer, heating pad, or direct sunlight) to warm the patch.

Donepezil skin patches are packaged in sealed pouches. Do not use this medicine if the pouch seal is broken, or if the patch is cut, damaged, or changed in any way. Do not remove the patch from the sealed pouch until you are ready to apply it.

This medicine is available in 2 different strengths and patch sizes. Make sure you have the right strength patch that has been prescribed for you.

When handling the skin patch, be careful not to touch the adhesive (sticky) surface with your hand. The adhesive part of the system contains some donepezil, which can be absorbed into your body too fast through the skin of your hand.

Do not put cream, lotion, or powder on the skin area where the patch will be placed.

Apply the patch to clean, dry, intact skin on your upper back, lower back, upper buttocks, or upper outer thighs that has very little to no hair. Do not shave the skin where you will apply the patch. You may cut the hair with a pair of scissors. Do not put the patch over burns, cuts, or irritated skin. Avoid putting the patch over skin folds, across the spine, or on areas where it could be rubbed by tight clothing or undergarments.

Remove the liner covering the sticky side of the skin patch. Place the sticky side against the skin. Slowly peel the blue tinted liner while applying gentle pressure with fingers of your other hand to smooth the patch firmly in place, press the patch firmly with the palm of your hands for 30 seconds to make sure there is good contact with your skin, especially around the edges of the patch.

If the patch falls off after applying it, throw it away and apply a new patch in a different area.

Do not touch your eyes after applying the patch. Rinse it off right away with water if it does get in your eyes or if your eyes becomes red after touching the patch.

Remove the patch after 7 days, or as directed by your doctor. Choose a different place on your skin to apply the next patch. If possible, use a place on the other side of your body. Wait at least 2 weeks (14 days) before using the first area again.

After you remove the patch, you may use baby or mineral oil to remove any excess medicine. Do not use alcohol or nail polish remover.

Dosing

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

For transdermal dosage form (skin patch):

For dementia:

Adults—At first, 5 milligrams (mg) once a week. After 4 to 6 weeks, your doctor may adjust your dose as needed. However, the dose is usually not more than 10 mg per day.

Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

Missed Dose

If you forget to wear or change a patch, put one on as soon as you can. If it is almost time to put on your next patch, wait until then to apply a new patch and skip the one you missed. Do not apply extra patches to make up for a missed dose.

Storage

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.

Store in the refrigerator. Do not freeze.

Store the patches in the original package. Use the patch within 24 hours of removing from the refrigerator.

Warnings

It is very important that your doctor check your progress while you are using this medicine. This will allow your doctor to see if the medicine is working properly and to decide if you should continue to take it. Blood tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

This medicine may cause skin site reactions, including allergic contact dermatitis. Check with your doctor right away if you have blistering, burning, crusting, dryness, or flaking of the skin or itching, scaling, severe redness, soreness, or swelling of the skin where the patch is applied.

Donepezil may cause heart problems. Check with your doctor right away if you have chest pain or discomfort, lightheadedness, dizziness, or fainting, slow or irregular heartbeat, trouble breathing, or unusual tiredness.

Tell your doctor right away if you have severe nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

This medicine may cause bleeding in your stomach or bowels. Check with your doctor right away if you have bloody or black, tarry stools, constipation, severe stomach pain, or vomiting of blood or material that looks like coffee grounds.

Keep the patch away from heat, including excessive sunlight, saunas, sun rooms, or heating pads.

Make sure any doctor who treats you knows that you have this patch before having a surgery or other medical procedures.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

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