Requip

Requip is a medication that is commonly used for treating Parkinson's disease and restless legs syndrome (RLS). It helps increase the amount of dopamine in your brain to trick your nervous system into thinking that it has more than it really does. By doing this, muscles loosen up and become less stiff and rigid; this helps reduce symptoms for patients with Parkinson's disease and RLS.

 

What Is Requip?

Requip® (ropinirole hydrochloride) is a prescription medicine used to treat several conditions, including Parkinson's disease and restless legs syndrome.
 

Who Makes Requip?

Requip is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline.
 

What Is Requip Used For?

Requip is licensed to treat two conditions:
 
  • Parkinson's disease -- Requip has been approved to treat signs and symptoms of Parkinson's disease
  • Restless legs syndrome (RLS) -- Requip has been approved to treat moderate-to-severe primary restless legs syndrome.
     
Requip has not been approved for use in children.
 

How Does Requip Work?

Requip is part of a class of drugs called dopamine agonists. Dopamine resides in the part of the brain that coordinates muscle movement. When there is less dopamine in this area, muscles tend to become stiff and rigid. Requip helps increase the amount of dopamine in your brain, "fooling" your nervous system into thinking that it has more dopamine than it really does. This helps reduce the symptoms of both Parkinson's disease and restless legs syndrome.
 

When and How Do I Take Requip?

Requip comes in tablet form. If you are taking it for Parkinson's disease, you take it three times a day. If you are taking it for restless legs syndrome, it is generally taken once a day, one to three hours before bedtime. It is recommended that you take your Requip dose with food to avoid nausea.
 
When you first start taking Requip, you may feel nauseous, dizzy, faint, or sweaty. To minimize the chances of this happening, try not to stand up quickly after lying down.
 
For Requip to work properly, you have to take it as prescribed. Requip will not work if you stop taking it.
 

Requip Dosing

The dose of Requip your healthcare provider recommends will vary, depending on a number of factors, including:
 
  • The medical condition you are being treated for (Parkinson's or RLS)
  • Other medical conditions you may have
  • Other medications you may be currently taking.
     
As is always the case, do not adjust your dose unless specifically instructed by your healthcare provider to do so.
 
(Click Requip Dosing for more information about dosing for Requip.)
 

Side Effects With Requip

As with any medicine, there are possible side effects with Requip. However, not everyone who takes Requip will experience Requip side effects. In fact, most people tolerate Requip well. When people do develop side effects, however, in most cases, they are minor, meaning that they require no treatment or are easily treated by your healthcare provider.
 
Requip was studied in several different groups of people. Because these groups were so different, the potential side effects have been broken down by group. These groups included:
 
For more information, click:
 

Are There Drug Interactions With Requip?

Requip potentially has a number of medicines that it can interact with.
 
(Click Requip Drug Interactions for more information about Requip and these other medicines.)
 

Requip: What Should I Tell My Healthcare Provider?

You should talk with your healthcare provider prior to taking Requip if you have:
 
  • Heart or blood vessel disease
  • Liver failure
  • Kidney disease
  • Daytime sleepiness from a sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea, insomnia, or narcolepsy
  • Alcoholism.
     
Also, be sure to tell your healthcare provider:
 
  • If you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding
  • If you smoke
  • About all the medicines you may already be taking, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements
  • If you feel dizzy, nauseated, sweaty, or faint when you stand up from sitting or lying down (this is known as orthostatic hypotension)
  • If you drink alcoholic beverages.
     
You should not take Requip if you are allergic to the active component ropinirole or to any of the inactive ingredients. Your healthcare provider or pharmacist has a list of the inactive ingredients.
 
(Click Requip Precautions and Warnings for more information.)
 

Symptoms of a Requip Overdose

As with all medicines, it is possible to overdose on Requip. Requip overdose symptoms could include, but are not limited to:
 
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Dizziness
  • Visual hallucinations
  • Heart palpitations
  • Claustrophobia
  • Confusion.
     
If you happen to overdose on Requip, seek medical attention immediately.
 

How Should I Store Requip?

Requip should be stored at room temperature, away from moisture and heat. Requip tablets should be kept in an airtight container and protected from light and moisture.
 
Keep Requip and all medications out of the reach of children.
 

What Should I Do If I Miss a Dose of Requip?

If you do not take your Requip as scheduled, take your next scheduled dose. Never take a double dose!
 

Requip Strengths

Requip is available in the following strengths:
 
  • Requip 0.25 mg
  • Requip 0.5 mg
  • Requip 1 mg
  • Requip 2 mg
  • Requip 3 mg
  • Requip 4 mg
  • Requip 5 mg.
     

Generic Requip

Currently, there are several different versions of generic Requip available.
 
Add this article to your Favorites     Email this article     Print
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;