Requip Uses

Requip uses have proven beneficial in treating several medical conditions, especially Parkinson's disease and restless legs syndrome. Requip works by increasing dopamine (a neurotransmitter that coordinates muscle movement) in your brain to lessen rigidity and stiffness in people with muscle problems associated with these two disorders. Off-label Requip uses can help relieve symptoms of fibromyalgia. The drug is not approved for use in children.

Requip Medicine

Requip Uses: An Overview

Requip^® (ropinirole hydrochloride) has been licensed to treat several conditions. These Requip uses include treatment for:

Parkinson's Disease

Requip has been approved to treat idiopathic Parkinson's symptoms. Requip has shown to be effective in treating early Parkinson's symptoms in people who were not taking other Parkinson's medications. Requip has also been shown to decrease late symptoms of Parkinson's disease in those taking levodopa. Requip does not slow down the progression of Parkinson's disease or affect its prognosis.

Restless Legs Syndrome

Requip is also used to treat people with moderate-to-severe primary restless legs syndrome symptoms. It is the first medicine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of this condition.

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 Parkinson's and RLS.

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