Neupro

Generic name: Rotigotine (transdermal)
Brand names: Neupro
Drug class: Dopaminergic antiparkinsonism agents

Usage of Neupro

Neupro has some of the same effects as a chemical called dopamine, which occurs naturally in your body. Low levels of dopamine in the brain are associated with Parkinson's disease.

Neupro skin patches are used to treat symptoms of Parkinson's disease, such as stiffness, tremors, muscle spasms, and poor muscle control.

Neupro is also used to treat restless legs syndrome (RLS).

Neupro side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Neupro: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have:

severe skin irritation that does not clear up within several hours after removing a skin patch;

extreme drowsiness, falling asleep suddenly, even after feeling alert;

a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;

agitation, confusion, hallucinations, paranoia (most commonly in elderly people);

fast heart rate;

increased sexual urges, unusual urges to gamble, or other intense urges;

unusual thoughts or behavior; or

uncontrolled muscle movements.

Some people using Neupro have fallen asleep during normal daytime activities such as working, talking, eating, or driving. Tell your doctor if you have any problems with daytime sleepiness or drowsiness.

Common Neupro side effects may include:

nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite;

headache, dizziness, drowsiness;

vision problems;

swelling in your hands or feet, rapid weight gain;

increased sweating;

sleep problems (insomnia); or

redness, itching, or swelling where a patch was worn.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Neupro

You should not use Neupro if you are allergic to rotigotine.

To make sure Neupro is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:

asthma or a sulfite allergy;

high or low blood pressure;

heart problems;

kidney disease;

schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or psychosis;

narcolepsy or other sleep disorder; or

if you feel light-headed or nauseated when you stand up.

People with Parkinson's disease may have a higher risk of skin cancer (melanoma). Talk to your doctor about this risk and what skin symptoms to watch for.

It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

You should not breast-feed while using rotigotine.

Relate drugs

How to use Neupro

Usual Adult Dose for Parkinson's Disease:

Initial doses: Early-stage Parkinson's disease: Apply 2 mg topically once a day Advanced-stage Parkinson's disease: Apply 4 mg topically once a day Maintenance dose: Increase weekly in 2 mg/24 hours increments if additional therapeutic effect is needed Lowest effective dose: 4 mg/24 hours Maximum dose for Early-stage Parkinson's disease: 6 mg/24 hours Maximum dose for Advanced-stage Parkinson's disease: 8 mg/24 hours Comments: -Upon discontinuation, reduce the daily dose by a maximum of 2 mg every 24 hours, if possible; reduce the dose every other day until withdrawal is complete. Use: Treatment of Parkinson's disease

Usual Adult Dose for Restless Legs Syndrome:

Initial dose: Apply 1 mg topically once a day Maintenance dose: Increase weekly in 1 mg/24 hours increments if additional therapeutic effect is needed Lowest effective dose: 1 mg/24 hours Maximum dose: 3 mg/24 hours Comments: -Upon discontinuation, reduce the daily dose by a maximum of 1 mg every 24 hours, if possible; reduce the dose every other day until withdrawal is complete Use: Treatment of moderate-to-severe primary Restless Legs Syndrome

Warnings

Some people using Neupro have fallen asleep during normal daytime activities such as working, talking, eating, or driving. You may fall asleep suddenly, even after feeling alert. Tell your doctor if you have any problems with daytime sleepiness or drowsiness. If you are unsure of how rotigotine will affect you, be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

You may have increased sexual urges, unusual urges to gamble, or other intense urges while taking this medication. Talk with your doctor if you believe you have any intense or unusual urges while using Neupro.

Do not stop using Neupro suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Ask your doctor how to avoid withdrawal symptoms when you stop using Neupro. Cold or allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression or anxiety can add to sleepiness caused by rotigotine. Tell your doctor if you regularly use any of these other medicines. Drinking alcohol can increase certain side effects of rotigotine. The Neupro patch may burn your skin if you wear the patch during an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). Remove the patch before undergoing such a test. Neupro may cause hallucinations (the sensation of hearing or seeing something that is not there), most commonly among elderly people. Call your doctor if you have hallucinations.

Follow all directions on your medicine label and package. Tell each of your healthcare providers about all your medical conditions, allergies, and all medicines you use.

What other drugs will affect Neupro

Using Neupro with other drugs that make you drowsy can worsen this effect. Ask your doctor before using opioid medication, a sleeping pill, a muscle relaxer, or medicine for anxiety or seizures.

Other drugs may interact with rotigotine, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.