My dad is over 80 and now suffers with mild dementia. His doctor has prescribed 5 mg of Aricept daily. After being on Aricept for over a month he is exhibiting increased signs of anger and anxiety. Is this a side effect from taking the Aricept? Is this normal or should we be concerned that there is something more going on here?

I think that the dementia your father is suffering from is the cause of his increased anger and anxiety. I really don't think it is the Aricept medication. I can tell you that my grandmother was also diagnosed with dementia and alzheimers which also caused her to act in ways that were completely our of character for her. She had always been very calm and serene and willing to please before she became ill. She too became increasingly difficult and irritable after she became ill. I believe that it is the disease taking over and not the Aricept medication. Your doctor should be able to give you some advice and provide you with some support groups. Talking with others can really help as well. Be sure to mention to your doctor the changes you are noticing in your father, he should be able to provide you with more information and prepare you more for what to expect. Best wishes to you both!

I agree with peggyr - the anger that your dad is displaying is likely to be the condition rather than the effect of treatment. However it would be wise to consult with your dads doctor about this as clinical trials of Aricept reported agitation as a possible but less common side effect - the reported incidence of this side effect was less than 1% of patients. Alzheimers patients do need close symptom monitoring to ensure cognitive benefits of treatment are being maintained so a discussion with your dads doctor would be wise - all the best