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| Pronunciation |
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 (en
TA ka
pone) |
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| Brand Names |
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| Comtan® |
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| Therapeutic
Categories |
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Anti-Parkinson's Agent (COMT Inhibitor) |
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| Reasons not to take this
medicine |
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|
- If you have an allergy to entacapone or any other part of the
medicine.
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| What is this medicine used
for? |
|
|
- This medicine is used with levodopa/carbidopa
(Sinemet®) in the treatment of Parkinson's
disease.
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|
| How does it work? |
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- Entacapone increases the concentration of levodopa in your system.
This may help improve symptoms during waking
hours.
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| How is it best taken? |
|
|
- Take with or without food. Take with food if this medicine causes an
upset stomach.
- Do not stop taking this medicine if you have been taking for a long
time. This medicine should be slowly
decreased.
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|
| What do I do if I miss a
dose? |
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- Take a missed dose as soon as possible.
- If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed one. Return to
your regular schedule.
- Do not take a double dose or extra doses.
- Do not change dose or stop taking medicine without talking with
healthcare provider.
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| What are the precautions when
taking this
medicine? |
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|
- Check medicines with healthcare provider. Medicines like
isoproterenol, epinephrine, methyldopa, isoetharine, and bitolterol may not mix
well with this medicine.
- You may not be alert. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or activities
until you see how this medicine affects you.
- Avoid alcohol (includes wine, beer, and liquor) and other medicines
and herbs that slow your actions and reactions. This includes sedatives,
tranquilizers, mood stabilizers, or pain medicine. Talk with healthcare
provider.
- Use caution if you have liver disease. Talk with healthcare provider.
- Do not use this medicine with monoamine oxidase inhibitors. These
include isocarboxazid, phenelzine, and tranylcypromine. Separate by 2 weeks.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are allergic to any medicine. Make
sure to tell about the allergy and how it affected you. This includes telling
about rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of
face, lips, tongue, throat; or any other symptoms involved.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan on getting
pregnant.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are
breast-feeding.
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| What are the common side effects
of this
medicine? |
|
|
- Nausea. Small frequent meals, frequent mouth care, sucking hard candy,
or chewing gum may help.
- Extra muscle activity or slow movement. Levodopa/carbidopa may need
adjustment.
- Feeling sleepy or tired. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or
activities that require you to be alert until you see how this medicine affects
you.
- Dizziness is common. Rise slowly over several minutes from sitting or
lying position. Be careful climbing stairs.
- Changes color of urine to brownish orange.
- Belly pain and cramps.
- Diarrhea.
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| What should I monitor? |
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- Changes in Parkinson's disease. Is it better, worse, or about the
same? Keep a diary.
- Follow up with healthcare
provider.
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| Reasons to call healthcare
provider
immediately |
|
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- Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing;
tightness in the chest; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits;
swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.
- Severe nausea.
- Severe diarrhea.
- Hallucinations.
- Any rash.
- No improvement in condition or feeling
worse.
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| How should I store this
medicine? |
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- Store in a tight container at room
temperature.
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| General statements |
|
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- Do not share your medicine with others and do not take anyone else's
medicine.
- Keep all medicine out of the reach of children and pets.
- Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, herbal/supplements,
vitamins, over-the-counter) with you. Give this list to healthcare provider
(doctor, nurse, pharmacist, physician assistant).
- Talk with healthcare provider before starting any new medicine,
including over-the-counter or natural products (herbs,
vitamins).
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