Requip is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline.
This medication 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) -- The medication also has been approved to treat moderate to severe primary restless legs syndrome.
Requip has not been approved for use in children.
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. You should take your 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 the medication to work properly, you have to take it as prescribed. Requip will not work if you stop taking it.
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
- Other medical conditions you may have
- Other medications you may be taking.
As is always the case, do not adjust your dose unless your healthcare provider specifically tells you to do so.
As with any medicine, side effects are possible with Requip. However, not everyone who takes the drug will experience side effects. In fact, most people tolerate it well. If people do develop side effects, in most cases, they are minor, meaning 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:
- Early Parkinson's disease where people were not taking levodopa (Larodopa®, Sinemet®, Atamet®)
- Advanced Parkinson's disease where people were taking levodopa
- Restless legs syndrome (RLS).
For more information, on the possible side effects, please visit the following eMedTV articles:
Are There Drug Interactions?
Requip can potentially interact with a number of different medications
(see Requip Drug Interactions for more information).
What Should I Tell My Healthcare Provider Before Taking Requip?
You should talk with your healthcare provider prior to taking this drug 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
- 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 this medication 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.
What If I Take an Overdose?
As with all medicines, it is possible to overdose on Requip. Overdose symptoms could include, but are not limited to:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Dizziness
- Visual hallucinations
- Heart palpitations
- Claustrophobia
- Confusion.
If you happen to take too much, seek immediate medical attention.
How Should I Store Requip?
Requip should be stored at room temperature, away from moisture and heat. The tablets should be kept in an airtight container and protected from light and moisture.
Keep this and all medications out of the reach of children.
What Should I Do If I Miss a Dose?
If you do not take your Requip as scheduled, take your missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule. Never take a double dose.
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.
Currently, several different versions of generic Requip are available.
