Seattle patients begin receiving new medication that slows memory loss, offering a reprieve from the debilitating effects of Alzheimer’s disease. A new treatment called donanemab has been approved, and UW Medicine’s Memory & Brain Wellness Center at Harborview Medical Center is among the first to administer it. The treatment aims to slow down the progression of the disease by removing harmful proteins from the brain.
Bob Pringle, one of the first patients in Seattle to receive donanemab, is hoping to buy time with his quality of life. He has already started receiving 18 infusions over the next year and a half, which will help extend his memory and cognitive function. While not a cure, donanemab offers promise as a disease-modifying treatment that can lead to better outcomes for patients.
According to Dr. Thomas Grabowski, medical director of the Memory and Brain Wellness Center, donanemab has brought a sense of hopefulness to patients with Alzheimer’s disease. The treatment works similarly to another promising drug, lecanemab, but is administered once a month, allowing patients to maintain a better quality of life.
Tina Pringle, Bob’s wife, believes that the new medication has given them a reason to keep moving forward and make more memories together. “That’s hope in that little tiny bag,” she said. To qualify for treatment, patients must have early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, such as mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia, and evidence of amyloid plaques.
Source: https://komonews.com/news/local/alzheimers-disease-medication-memory-loss-uw-medicine-wellness-center-harborview-medical-center-bob-pringle-cure-seattle-fire-department-sfd