Piribedil
About
Piribedil belongs to a group of medications called ‘antiparkinson agents. Parkinson’s disease is a central nervous system disorder affecting movement and locomotion. It causes stiffness, shaking, difficulty walking, coordination, and balance. These symptoms interfere with daily activities and decrease the quality of life.
Piribedil contains ‘Piribedil’, which is an antiparkinson agent. It is a dopamine agonist and acts by increasing the dopamine levels in the brain. Dopamine is a chemical messenger in the brain that is important for movement control. Piribedil can effectively treat symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and improve quality of life.
Take this medicine exactly as prescribed by your doctor. The common side effects of Piribedil are nausea, vomiting, flatulence, confusion, hallucinations, agitation, dizziness, and drowsiness. These side effects usually improve after discontinuation of therapy. However, if any of these side effects persist or worsen during or after the treatment, inform your doctor immediately.
Do not take Piribedil if you are allergic to Piribedil or any other ingredients present in it. Piribedil should not be used in patients with cardiovascular shock (a serious condition in which the heart suddenly stops pumping blood) and acute myocardial infarction (heart attack). There is no relevance to establishing the use of Piribedil in pregnant or breastfeeding women. Piribedil intended for use in elderly people. Alcohol consumption causes excessive drowsiness, so do not take alcohol while using Piribedil. Piribedil may cause sudden onset of drowsiness, so do not drive or operate heavy machinery.
Uses of Piribedil
Medicinal Benefits
Piribedil is an antiparkinson agent that is used in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. In Parkinson’s patients, the nerve cells that produce dopamine (a chemical messenger that is important for movement control) begin to die. So, there is a decrease in dopamine levels. Piribedil increases dopamine levels in the brain, thereby improving the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Piribedil can also be used in the symptomatic treatment of brain and neurological disorders to improve cognitive skills (thinking and learning abilities), except in Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. It is also used to treat intermittent claudication (sudden pain in the legs while walking or exercising), which occurs due to low blood flow to the legs, ocular ischemic symptoms (problems with blood flow to the eye), restless leg syndrome (an uncontrollable urge to move your legs while sitting or lying down), and depression.
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of Piribedil
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Flatulence
- Confusion
- Hallucinations
- Agitation
- Dizziness
- Drowsiness
In-Depth Precautions and Warning
Drug Warnings
Piribedil may cause sudden onset of drowsiness without any warning signs. However, it is very rarely seen in patients taking this medicine. Piribedil may also cause orthostatic hypotension (sudden fall in blood pressure while rising from a sitting or lying position). If you notice impulse control disorders such as gambling addiction, increased libido (sexual desire), sexual addiction, compulsive spending or buying, and binge eating, inform your doctor immediately. In such cases, the doctor may reduce the dose or stop the treatment based on your condition. Do not discontinue treatment abruptly without discussing it with your doctor, as the Piribedil may cause withdrawal symptoms. Piribedil contains sucrose, so inform your doctor if you have glucose metabolism disorders or sugar intolerance.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interactions: Piribedil may interact with medicines used to treat psychosis or nausea and vomiting (chlorpromazine, prochlorperazine, fluphenazine, haloperidol, etc.) and medication used to treat movement disorders (tetrabenazine).
Drug-Food Interactions: Do not take alcohol, as it may increase drowsiness.
Drug-Disease Interactions: Piribedil should not be used in patients with cardiovascular shock (a serious condition in which the heart suddenly stops pumping blood), acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), other heart diseases, and diabetes or intolerance to sugars.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
cautionPiribedil may interact with alcohol as it causes excessive drowsiness.
Pregnancy
unsafeThere is no relevant data to establish the safe use of Piribedil in pregnant women as Piribedil is restricted for use in elderly patients.
Breast Feeding
unsafeThere is no relevant data to establish the safe use of Piribedil in breastfeeding mothers as Piribedil is restricted for use in elderly patients.
Driving
unsafeDo not drive or operate heavy machinery as Piribedil may cause sudden onset of drowsiness.
Liver
cautionPiribedil may affect liver function when given in high doses. So, the dose may have to be adjusted by your doctor in patients with liver diseases.
Kidney
cautionThere is no relevant data to establish the safe use of Piribedil in patients with kidney disease. So, it should be used with caution.
Children
unsafeThere is no relevant data to establish the safe use of Piribedil in children as Piribedil is restricted for elderly patients.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- A balanced diet is essential to show improvement in Parkinson's disease and includes grains and leafy foods as this food is rich in vitamins, fibres, and minerals. With this food, one should also include dairy items, protein-rich nourishments, for example, meat and beans, and solid fats found in nuts, olive oil, fish, and eggs in their diet. Limit the consumption of sugar-rich foods.
- Constipation is a common issue for individuals with Parkinson's disease. Drinking more liquid and increasing fibre intake helps overcome this issue.
- Parkinson's sickness is often caused by decreased bone thickness. In this manner, taking calcium and nutrient D enhancements may help. However, do not take any supplements before counselling a doctor.
- Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated, as a person with this disease often feels dehydrated.
Special Advise
- Stand up slowly while rising from a sitting or lying position to avoid orthostatic hypotension (sudden fall in blood pressure while rising up).
- Piribedil is usually preferred to take after food to avoid side effects associated with the stomach and intestine.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Parkinson's disease (PD): Parkinson's disease is also a movement disorder that mainly affects a person's ability to perform regular activities. It is a chronic and progressive disorder that can worsen with time if proper treatment is not provided at the right time. Some common symptoms faced by many persons include tremors at rest, stiffness of the limbs, slow movement, difficulty in movement or walking, and impaired balance. Other motor symptoms include trouble in solving problems, small handwriting, stooped posture, etc. This disease also affects the brain's ability to work properly, including sleep disturbances, reduced ability to smell, depression, fatigue, and anxiety. However, the symptoms of this disease vary from person to person. There are certain neurons present in the brain that are responsible for making dopamine. This neurotransmitter helps to regulate the movement of the body. Loss of dopamine is supposed to be the primary reason for the occurrence of Parkinson's disease.
FAQs
Piribedil contains 'Piribedil', which is used to treat Parkinson's disease. It increases dopamine levels, a chemical messenger in the brain that causes symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
Piribedil can cause drowsiness. Some patients taking this medicine may also experience a sudden onset of sleepiness without any warning signs. So, it would be best if you refrained from activities that require you to stay alert, such as driving or operating heavy machinery.
Before taking Piribedil, you should inform your doctor if you have hypertension or other heart diseases. However, Piribedil should not be used in patients with heart failure, or serious heart diseases.
Piribedil can be used to treat depression. However, you should not take this medicine for any indication without informing your doctor.
Piribedil may cause orthostatic hypotension (sudden fall in blood pressure while rising up), so stand up slowly while rising from a sitting or lying position. Piribedil is usually preferred to take after food to avoid side-effects associated with stomach and intestine. Inform your doctor if you notice any impulsive behaviours such as the urge to eat, gamble, spend money, or increased sexual desire. Piribedil may cause drowsiness, so do not drive or operate heavy machinery.
