Is amantadine used for concussions?
Conclusion: This study provides empirical support for amantadine as an effective pharmacologic treatment of certain concussion-related cognitive deficits and symptoms in athletes with protracted recovery of more than 3 weeks.
Is amantadine used for brain injury?
Amantadine hydrochloride is one of the most commonly prescribed medications for patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness after traumatic brain injury. Preliminary studies have suggested that amantadine may promote functional recovery.
What medications are used to treat post concussion syndrome?
There are no medications that treat concussion or post-concussion syndrome. Medicines may treat symptoms such as headaches or nausea. However, in the first four hours after the injury, bleeding in the brain is a serious risk, so NSAIDs, such as aspirin or ibuprofen, should be avoided.
Why is amantadine used for TBI?
Amantadine helps boost brain levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter linked to arousal. And for patients who are in a vegetative state following a brain injury, the drug can help — possibly by improving responsiveness during rehabilitation.
Does amantadine cause memory loss?
The subjects neither complained of nor demonstrated memory impairment while taking amantadine, which is believed to exert its pharmacological effects upon extrapyramidal disorders via dopaminergic mechanisms and does not appear to be associated with memory impairment.
How do you wean off amantadine?
Discontinuation of therapy: Abrupt discontinuation may lead to worsening of Parkinson disease symptoms, hyperpyrexia, or changes in mental status. Reduce the dose by one-half for 1 to 2 weeks before discontinuing.
Is amantadine a mood stabilizer?
The addition of amantadine to the mood stabilizer resulted in a significant improvement in depressive symptoms in all 4 patients. In 3 men, the dose of amantadine was increased to 200 mg in the morning due to the lack of improvement in the first week.
What is the best pain medication for a concussion?
During the first 24 hours acetaminophen (Tylenol) can be used for pain relief. After the first 24 hours, ibuprofen (Advil) and naproxen sodium (Naprosyn, Aleve) are generally more effective for pain relief, and are safe.
What does a neurologist do for a concussion?
A neurologist can rule out alternative causes of your symptoms. They can order imaging to see if there’s evidence of any other undiagnosed problem within the brain. A CT scan could detect evidence of a previously undiagnosed skull fracture, bleeding, a brain tumor, or evidence of a stroke.
Why was amantadine discontinued?
Amantadine is no longer recommended for treatment of flu virus in the United States. It was only effective against influenza A viruses, but for several years, these viruses have been resistant to amantadine. This means the drug doesn’t work well against these flu viruses.
How does amantadine make you feel?
Amantadine may cause some people to be agitated, irritable, or display other abnormal behaviors. It may also cause some people to have suicidal thoughts and tendencies or to become more depressed. Also tell your doctor if you have sudden or strong feelings, such as feeling nervous, angry, restless, violent, or scared.
How long should you take amantadine?
This medicine should be taken for at least 2 days after all your flu symptoms have disappeared. This medicine works best when there is a constant amount in the blood. To help keep the amount constant, do not miss any doses.
How often can you take amantadine for postconcussive syndrome?
A complete trial of amantadine was defined as 100 mg twice per day for 2 months. Thirty-three patients were prescribed amantadine for postconcussive syndrome after traumatic brain injury. One-third of patients discontinued the medication because of adverse effects.
How is amantadine used in concussion therapies?
Concussion Therapies: Amantadine Shows Potential in Treating Post-Concussion Syndrome. In a first-of-its-kind study, 1 researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center have found that amantadine – a drug originally developed as a medication used to treat or prevent illness caused by the flu virus, and later shown to improve symptoms…
What’s the maximum dose of amantadine you can take in one day?
Maximum dose: 150 mg/day. 9 to 12 years: 100 mg orally twice a day. Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations (to reduce risk for toxicity): 1 to 9 years: 5 mg/kg orally per day in 2 divided doses; not to exceed 150 mg/day.
How long does amantadine therapy last after randomization?
On randomization, the data coordinating center assigned coded medication bottles to patients enrolled at each clinical site. The patients began receiving treatment at a dose of 100 mg twice daily on the day after randomization, with this dose continued for 14 days.
