Do you taper memantine after completion of 24 weeks of therapy?

Tapering is recommended when discontinuing some medications used in the management of dementia such as cholinesterase inhibitors. There are anecdotal cases of “discontinuation syndrome” after abrupt cessation of memantine in patients with dementia. However, this alone does not prove that a slow tape...

Interesting question. I have not tapered patients.

Medscape's reference page does not indicate it is necessary, and the protocols for RTOG/NRG trials do not mention tapering, to my knowledge. I wonder if @Dr. First Last and @Dr. First Last can weigh in here?

I have treated a number of patients on and off trial with memantine and have not tapered in any case. I have had patients attribute a number of toxicities to the drug (typically constitutional or gastrointestinal). If reassurance alone is unsuccessful, I allow them a short memantine break which usua...