Donepezil (Aricept)
ATI-format individual drug card with NCLEX-focused assessment, safety, teaching, and source attribution.
Donepezil (Aricept)
ATI class: Cholinesterase inhibitor / Cognitive enhancer
Action
- ATI/source-folder candidate for Donepezil (Aricept); verify mechanism against the source table before validation.
Therapeutic use
- Review under Neurocognitive Disorders medication safety.
Nursing assessment
- Assess baseline cognition, function, behavior, and caregiver concerns.
- Monitor heart rate, syncope, GI tolerance, and weight.
- Screen for acute confusion causes before assuming dementia progression.
Administration
- Verify route against the order and source table.
Side effects
- Verify common side effects against the source table.
Adverse effects
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Bradycardia
- Syncope
- Weight loss
- Insomnia
Interactions
- Anticholinergic drugs can reduce therapeutic effect.
- Beta blockers or other bradycardic drugs can increase slow-pulse risk.
- NSAIDs may increase GI bleeding concern.
Contraindications
- Hypersensitivity to donepezil or piperidine derivatives
Precautions
- Use caution with bradycardia, conduction disease, asthma or COPD, seizure history, and ulcer risk.
- Benefits are symptomatic and require realistic caregiver teaching.
Client teaching
- Take as directed and do not double missed doses without instructions.
- Report fainting, very slow pulse, persistent vomiting, black stools, or significant weight loss.
- Use routines and safety supports with medication therapy.
Medication outcomes
- Therapeutic response with no priority adverse effects.
Antidote / rescue
- No specific antidote is seeded; hold/question unsafe doses and manage toxicity per provider, facility, or poison-control guidance.
NCLEX priority cues
- Acute confusion is delirium until proven otherwise.
- Syncope or bradycardia after a cholinesterase inhibitor needs review.
- Safety and caregiver support are part of medication success.
Medication classes
Source attribution
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