K. Sato, R. Urbano, C. Yu
Sep 1, 2010
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Influential Citations
49
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Quality indicators
Journal
Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics
Abstract
The acetylcholinesterase inhibitor donepezil hydrochloride improves cognitive function in patients with Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Given acetylcholine's important actions on the heart, we undertook a retrospective cohort investigation to assess whether donepezil usage affects cardiovascular mortality. In patients treated with donepezil, hazard ratios for total and cardiovascular mortality were 0.68 (P = 0.045, 95% confidence interval 0.46–0.99) and 0.54 (P = 0.042, 95% confidence interval 0.30–0.98), respectively. The apparent survival benefit in donepezil‐treated patients should not be overinterpreted. Prospective clinical trials are warranted.