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Compare Requip vs. Mirapex

Head-to-head comparisons of medication uses, side effects, warnings, and more.

Key takeaways

Ropinirole (generic, formerly branded as Requip) and pramipexole (generic, branded as Mirapex ER) are both dopamine agonists used to treat Parkinson's disease (PD) and moderate-to-severe restless legs syndrome (RLS). Both medications are available in immediate-release and extended-release forms. Ropinirole's immediate-release tablets are typically taken three times daily for PD and once daily for RLS, and pramipexole's immediate-release tablets are also taken three times daily for PD as well as once daily for RLS. The extended-release versions of both medications are taken once daily. Common side effects for both include nausea, sleepiness, and dizziness, but pramipexole can also cause constipation and swelling in the arms or legs. Both medications can lead to compulsive behaviors and hallucinations, but pramipexole has a rare risk of severe muscle damage called rhabdomyolysis. Neither medication should be stopped abruptly due to the risk of withdrawal symptoms.

  • Ropinirole
    Pramipexole
  • Ropinirole
    Pramipexole

  • Summary of Requip vs. Mirapex

    Summary for Dopamine agonist
    Prescription only

    Ropinirole is a dopamine agonist that's used to treat Parkinson's disease (PD) and restless legs syndrome (RLS) in adults. For Parkinson's disease, the immediate-release tablets are taken by mouth three times per day, and the extended-release tablets are taken once per day. Ropinirole side effects include nausea, sleepiness, and dizziness.

    Summary for Dopamine agonist
    Prescription only

    Pramipexole is used to treat Parkinson's disease (PD) and restless legs syndrome (RLS). The dosage depends on what form you’re taking: the immediate-release tablet is taken 3 times per day and the extended-release tablet is taken once per day. The immediate-release is only available as a lower-cost generic (the brand name Mirapex has been discontinued in the US). The extended-release version of this medication is available as brand (Mirapex ER) and generic. Side effects include nausea, drowsiness, dizziness, and tiredness.

  • Indications of Requip vs. Mirapex

    Indications for
    •Parkinson's disease (PD)
    •Moderate-to-severe restless legs syndrome (RLS) - immediate-release tablets only
    Indications for
    •Parkinson's disease
    •Moderate-to-severe restless legs syndrome - immediate-release tablets only

  • Pros and Cons of Requip vs. Mirapex

    Pros and Const for Dopamine agonist
    Pros
    •Works well to control movement problems
    •Can take with or without food
    •Available as a lower-cost generic
    Cons
    •Only available as a tablet that's swallowed whole
    •Can have a lot of side effects, like impulsive behavior and hallucinations (seeing things that aren't real)
    •Can't suddenly stop taking ropinirole because of risk of withdrawal symptoms
    Pros and Const for Dopamine agonist
    Pros
    •Works well to control movement problems
    •Available in a lower-cost generic version
    •Extended-release tablet can be taken once daily
    Cons
    •Only available as a tablet
    •Can cause extreme sleepiness
    •Immediate-release tablets need to be taken 3 times per day.

  • Common Side Effects of Requip vs. Mirapex

    Common Side Effects for

    Parkinson's disease:

    •Nausea (60%)
    •Dizziness (40%)
    •Sleepiness (40%)
    •Weakness (16%)
    •Feeling faint (12%)
    •Vomiting (12%)
    •Viral infection (11%)
    •Indigestion (10%)

    Restless legs syndrome:

    •Nausea (40%)
    •Sleepiness (12%)
    •Vomiting (11%)
    •Dizziness (11%)
    Common Side Effects for

    Early Parkinson’s disease (PD)

    •Sleepiness (33-36%)
    •Nausea (22-24%)
    •Constipation (12-14%)
    •Dizziness (12%)
    •Swelling in arms or legs (5-8%)
    •Fatigue (6%)
    •Hallucinations (5-6%)
    •Dry mouth (4-5%)

    Restless legs syndrome

    •Nausea (16%)
    •Headache (16%)
    •Fatigue (9%)
    •Sleepiness (6%)
    •Constipation (4%)

  • Warnings of Requip vs. Mirapex

    Common Side Effects for
    •Extreme sleepiness
    •Changes in blood pressure and higher risk of falls
    •Intense urges
    •Hallucinations and behavior changes
    •Difficulty controlling body movements
    •Worsening symptoms of RLS (immediate-release tablets only)
    Common Side Effects for
    •Extreme sleepiness
    •Changes in blood pressure and higher risk of falls
    •Intense urges
    •Hallucinations and behavior changes
    •Difficulty controlling body movements
    •Changes to your posture
    •Severe muscle damage (rhabdomyolysis)
    •Worsening symptoms of RLS

  • Prices with our coupons for Requip vs. Mirapex

    Learn more about Ropinirole
    Learn more about Pramipexole

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