Question

The nursing instructor asks the student nurse caring for a client with Alzheimer's disease who has been prescribed donepezil (Aricept) how the drug works. Which response by the nursing student best explains the action of donepezil?

A) "The reuptake of serotonin is blocked."
B) "Donepezil prevents the increase in the protein beta amyloid."
C) "It delays the destruction of acetylcholine by acetylcholinesterase."
D) "Dopamine levels are increased."

Answer 1

The best response is that donepezil (Aricept) works by delaying the destruction of acetylcholine by acetylcholinesterase, thus increasing acetylcholine availability and enhancing cholinergic neurotransmission to mitigate symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.

Step-by-step explanation:

The best response by the nursing student explaining the action of donepezil (Aricept) would be: "It delays the destruction of acetylcholine by acetylcholinesterase." This answer reflects the mechanism by which donepezil works to treat symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.

Donepezil is classified as a cholinesterase inhibitor, and it functions by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase, the enzyme responsible for breaking down acetylcholine in the synaptic cleft. By preventing the degradation of acetylcholine, donepezil increases its availability at the synapse, thereby enhancing cholinergic neurotransmission.

This is important in Alzheimer's disease where there is a known deficiency in cholinergic neuron activity. This enhancement may help in reducing symptoms and slowing the progression of the disease, although it cannot reverse the damage already done or cure Alzheimer's disease.