Mirapex Defined

Mirapex, from generic pramipexole, is a brand name of “dopamine agonist” medicine which is for the treatment of Parkinson’s dsease. Mirapex can be used alone, or in combination with levodopa or other drugs that treat Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s disease is a disorder that affects one’s motor system with symptoms: tremor or trembling, slowness of movement, postural instability or imbalance, or rigidity. Parkinson’s disease is a result of the loss of brain cells that generate a chemical substance known as dopamine.

Doctors prescribed Mirapex for treatment of Restless Leg Syndrome or RLS, a medical condition that can result to restlessness in the legs, unpleasant sensations, and discomfort. RLS can also be a result of the changes of dopamine levels but the accurate cause is still not known. Low dosage of Mirapex appears to be effective in regulating the symptoms of RLS in certain patients.

Mirapex is produced by Pfizer Pharmaceuticals and was granted approval in 1997 by the US Food and Drug Administration. Mirapex is distributed by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Suggested Link of Mirapex to Compulsive Behavior

There were reports of cases of Parkinson’s disease and RLS patents who were experiencing uncontrollable compulsive urges while being treated with Mirapex or other dopamine agonist drugs. Other behaviors are pathological gambling, compulsive eating, and hypersexuality or increased sexual behavior, feelings, or thoughts.

Prescribing information of Mirapex were altered to define these reported cases. Prescribing information of Mirapex said that the occurrence of compulsive behavior was low and they are reversible when doses are reduced or if treatment is discontinued. The link between the use of Mirapex and compulsive behavior is still being studied upon.

Precautions Against Mirapex

Older patients should practice caution and discuss the risks of taking Mirapex with their healthcare providers. Hallucinations such as hearing, seeing, or feeling things that are not actually present, may occur in older patients because they are more sensitive compared to younger adults to the effects of Mirapex drugs.

Once you are taking Mirapex, it is vital that your healthcare provider monitors your progress in a regular basis, and to adjust doses and reduce any unwanted effects.

Discuss with your healthcare provider before you discontinue taking Mirapex. Your healthcare provider may reduce your dose of Mirapex first before discontinuing it completely.

Since Mirapex may make patients experience dizziness, lightheadedness, drowsiness, weakness, eyesight problems or coordination problems, you should know how your body reacts to Mirapex before you drive, operate machines, or do certain tasks that need alertness, good coordination, and the ability to think well.

Things the Healthcare Provider Know About You

Inform your healthcare provider if you:

• Have any eye problems, particularly with the retina
• Have or had any history rare or allergic reactions to Mirapex, from generic pramipexole, or if you are allergy to substances such as foods, preservatives, or dyes
• Experience hallucination, hypotension or low blood pressure, or postural hypotension characterized by dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting particularly when getting up from lying or sitting positions
• Have kidney problems
• Are pregnant, plans to be pregnant, or are breastfeeding your baby. In the absence of studies about pregnant women, animal studies showed that Mirapex may impede with pregnancy with pregnancy when the mother is given very high doses. it is also not known if Mirapex passes to human breast, even though there is a probability of severe unwanted effects in nursing babies.

Side Effects of Mirapex

Inform your healthcare provider if you experience any of these side effects associated with Mirapex:

• Dizziness
• Involuntary movements and motions
• Upset stomach
• Heartburn
• Constipation
• Drowsiness
• Frequency of urination
• Extreme exhaustion
• Dry mouth
• Reduced sexual desire or ability

Contact your healthcare provider right away if you suffer from any of these side effects from using
Mirapex:

• Hallucination
• High temperature
• Fainting
• Increased sweating
• Muscle pain
• Falling asleep while having a conversation, or in the middle of another activity

Mirapex and Its Interaction with Foods or Drugs

Mirapex and some drugs can interact with one another. Inform your healthcare provider about all the
medications, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, particularly

• Combination of carbidopa and levodopa such as Sinement
• Levodopa such as Dopar and Larodopa

Mirapex has the ability to enhance the side effects of levodopa. Your healthcare provider may adjust
your dosage if there is a need.

Obtaining Legal Assistance

Since most of the medications have side effects, it is the responsibility of the manufacturer to make their products safe and to give sufficient information to the medical community and the general public about the probable risks associated with their products. If the manufacturer fails to do this, they can be held responsible if patients are injured as the result of insufficient warnings or harmful nature of the drug itself, under the legal theory known as “product liability.”

If you or any of your family members suffered from any of the harmful symptoms or medical condition while taking Mirapex, contact first your doctor or healthcare provider. Then, you can find an experienced lawyer who can discuss your options to safeguard your legal rights for recovery for any injured caused by using Mirapex.