Nourianz vs. Requip

Nourianz (istradefylline) and Requip (ropinirole) are used to treat different aspects of Parkinson's disease.

Nourianz is indicated as adjunctive treatment to levodopa/carbidopa in adult patients with Parkinson's disease experiencing "off" episodes.

Requip is used to treat symptoms of Parkinson's disease, and is also used to treat restless legs syndrome (RLS).

Nourianz and Requip belong to different drug classes. Nourianz is an adenosine receptor antagonist and Requip is a non-ergoline dopamine agonist.

Side effects of Nourianz and Requip that are similar include dizziness, constipation, nausea, and sleep problems (insomnia).

Side effects of Nourianz that are different from Requip include involuntary muscle movements and hallucinations.

Side effects of Requip that are different from Nourianz include vomiting, stomach pain, loss of appetite, worsened RLS symptoms early in the morning, diarrhea, dry mouth, sweating, headache, drowsiness, agitation, anxiety, flushing, weakness, chest pain, leg swelling, high or low blood pressure, lightheadedness or fainting, muscle spasm, numbness, spinning sensation, abdominal pain, indigestion, gas, palpitations, fast heart rate, sore throat, urinary tract infection (UTI), and vision problems.

Nourianz may interact with itraconazole, ketoconazole, clarithromycin, rifampin, St. John's wort, midazolam, atorvastatin, seizure medications, and digoxin.

Requip may interact with levodopa, ciprofloxacin, fluvoxamine, metoclopramide, omeprazole, medications used to treat nausea and vomiting or mental illness, and estrogen.

Common side effects of Nourianz include:

• involuntary muscle movements,
• dizziness,
• constipation,
• nausea,
• hallucinations, and
• insomnia

Common side effects of Requip include:

• nausea,
• vomiting,
• stomach pain,
• loss of appetite,
• worsened RLS symptoms early in the morning,
• diarrhea,
• constipation,
• dry mouth,
• sweating,
• headache,
• dizziness,
• drowsiness,
• sleep problems (insomnia),
• agitation,
• anxiety,
• flushing,
• weakness,
• chest pain,
• leg swelling,
• high or low blood pressure,
• lightheadedness or fainting,
• muscle spasm,
• numbness,
• spinning sensation,
• abdominal pain,
• indigestion,
• gas,
• palpitations,
• fast heart rate,
• sore throat,
• urinary tract infection, or
• vision problems.

Nourianz (istradefylline) is an adenosine receptor antagonist indicated as adjunctive treatment to levodopa/carbidopa in adult patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) experiencing "off" episodes.

Requip (ropinirole) is a non-ergoline dopamine agonist used to treat symptoms of Parkinson's disease, such as stiffness, tremors, muscle spasms, and poor muscle control. Requip is also used to treat restless legs syndrome (RLS). Requip is available in generic form.

Nourianz may interact with itraconazole, ketoconazole, clarithromycin, carbamazepine, rifampin, phenytoin, St. John's wort, midazolam, atorvastatin, and digoxin. Nourianz is not recommended for use during pregnancy; it may harm a fetus. Women of childbearing potential are advised to use contraception during treatment with Nourianz. It is unknown if Nourianz passes into breast milk or how it would affect a nursing infant. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

Requip may interact with levodopa, ciprofloxacin, fluvoxamine, metoclopramide, omeprazole, medication used to treat nausea and vomiting or mental illness, or estrogen. Tell your doctor all medications you use. During pregnancy, Requip should be used only if prescribed. It is not known whether this medication passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Requip may reduce breast milk production. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding. Withdrawal symptoms such as fever, muscle stiffness, and confusion may occur if you stop the medication suddenly or if you change doses.

The recommended dosage of Nourianz is 20 mg orally once daily. The dosage may be increased to a maximum of 40 mg once daily.

The recommended dose of Requip is 40 to 320 mcg twice daily for adults and 40 to 80 mcg twice daily for children. If you are also using a bronchodilator, use it first before using the beclomethasone inhaler. There may be other drugs that can interact with Requip.