Dopamine Agonists

Dopamine agonists address the same symptoms as levodopa, namely slowness, stiffness, and tremor. Dopamine agonists can be used alone or in conjunction with other medications to address those symptoms. Common side effects include nausea and light-headedness. Over years of use, dopamine agonists are less likely than levodopa to cause dyskinesias or fluctuations with OFF time, but dopamine agonists may not be quite as effective for control of motor symptoms, and certain side effects are more likely with dopamine agonists, including leg swelling, sleep attacks, and compulsive behaviors.

Note: In 2023, the manufacturer of Kynmobi withdrew the medication from the market in the United States and Canada due to “limited utilization.”

Generic Name
Trade Name
Notes
Link
Patient Assistance
Brochure
Ropinirole Requip® Prescribing Information
Ropinirole XL Requip® XL Prescribing Information
Pramipexole Mirapex® Prescribing Information Boehringer-Ingelheim Patient Assistance More Information
Pramipexole ER Mirapex® ER Prescribing Information Boehringer-Ingelheim Patient Assistance More Information
Rotigotine Neupro® Patch can be an advantage for people with fluctuations or with swallowing problems. Product Website UCB Patient Assistance More Information
Apomorphine Apokyn®, Kynmobi™ Supplementary (on-demand) medication used to treat OFF time (OFF episodes). Subcutaneous injectable dopaminergic drug (Apokyn) known for being fast-acting and reliable.

Sublingual film (Kynmobi) recently approved by the FDA can be an advantage for people with swallowing problems. May cause significant nausea, so usually initiated along with anti-nausea medication.

Product Website (Apokyn)

Product Website (Kynmobi)

Supernus Patient Assistance (Apokyn) More Information & Patient Videos (Apokyn)

More Information (Kynmobi)

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