What is ropinirole? What is ropinirole used for?
Ropinorole is an anti-Parkinson's medication.
Ropinorole works by binding to dopamine receptors in the brain. Ropinorole stimulates the dopamine receptors and improves symptoms of Parkinson's disease. The FDA approved ropinirole in September 1997. It is also a treatment for Restless legs syndrome (RLS ).
What brand names are available for ropinirole?
Requip, Requip XL
Is ropinirole available as a generic drug?
Yes
Do I need a prescription for ropinirole?
Yes
What is the dosage for ropinirole?
Parkinson's disease
Immediate-release tablets: Take 0.25 mg by mouth 3 times a day for week 1,
then increase weekly by 0.25 mg 3 times a day if needed. After week 4 doses may
be increased by 1.5 mg/day on weekly basis up to a dose of 9 mg/day. If still
needed, may increase doses by 3 mg/day on a weekly basis to a total dose of 24
mg/day.
Extended-release tablets: Take 2 mg by mouth once daily for 1 to 2 weeks.
Doses can be increased by 2 mg/day at intervals longer than week. Not to exceed
24 mg/day.
Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)
Immediate release tablets: Take 0.25 mg by mouth 1 to 3 hours before bedtime
on day 1 and 2. Starting day 3 to 7, may increase to 0.5 mg by mouth once daily
at bedtime. Starting week 2, may increase to 1 mg per day, then increase weekly
by 0.5 mg/day to up to 4 mg/day.
Which drugs or supplements interact with ropinirole?
Ropinorole should not be used with phenothiazine, atypical
antipsychotics. and metoclopramide (Reglan) because these drugs block dopamine
receptors and lead to decreased effectiveness of ropinorole. Examples of
phenothiazines include prochlorperazine (Compazine), fluphenazine (Permitil),
and trifluoperazine (Stelazine). Examples of atypical antipsychotics include
aripiprazole (Abilify), olanzapine (Zyprexa), quetiapine (Seroquel), and
rispepridone (Risperdal).
Ropinorole should be used with caution with ciprofloxacin (Cipro) because
ciprofloxacin slows down the breakdown of ropinorole, which leads to increased
ropinorole levels in the body.
QUESTION
What kind of disorder is restless leg syndrome (RLS)?
See Answer
Is ropinirole safe to take if I’m pregnant or breastfeeding?
There are no adequate studies of ropinorole to determine safe and
effective use in pregnant women.
It is not known whether ropinorole enters
breast milk. It is
should be avoided in nursing mothers to avoid potential risks to newborn
infants.
Patients treated with ropinirole have reported falling asleep
during activities of daily living, including driving. Other side effects of
ropinorole are nausea, flatulence, dizziness, sleepiness, fatigue,
flushing,
hallucinations, confusion,
irregular heart rate and rhythm, and confusion.
What else should I know about ropinirole?
What preparations of ropinirole are available?
Tablets (immediate release): 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 mg.
Tablets (extended-release): 2, 4, 6, 8, 12 mg
How should I keep ropinirole stored?
STORAGE Store ropinorole immediate-release and extended-release tablets
between temperatures 15 C and 30 C (59 F and 86 F).