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Sinemet vs. Stalevo

Carbidopa / levodopa (Sinemet) is a first-choice option for Parkinson's disease (PD) in adults. It's also used to treat adults with conditions that cause PD symptoms, like shakiness and slowed movement. This medication helps raise and keep dopamine levels high in the brain to help with movement. But it's usually taken multiple times per day to relieve PD symptoms. Immediate-release tablets are available as brand name Sinemet and generic. Extended-release tablets and orally disintegrating tablets are generic only. Side effects can include movement problems, nausea, and possible hallucinations.

• Parkinson's disease (PD)
• Parkinsonism (conditions that cause people to have PD symptoms, like slowness, stiffness, and tremors)

• Involuntary movements (dyskinesia or dystonia)
• Nausea

• Sleepiness or falling asleep during activities
• High fevers and confusion when lowering the dose or stopping too suddenly
• Hallucinations and changes in behavior and thoughts
• Difficulty controlling impulsive behavior
• Risk of depression and thoughts of suicide
• Low vitamin B6 levels and seizures
• Caution use in people with a history of heart attack and arrhythmia
• Caution use in people with a history of stomach ulcers
• Higher eye pressure in people with glaucoma
• Caution use in people with phenylketonuria (PKU) - orally disintegrating tablets only

Stalevo is a combination medication that treats Parkinson's disease (PD) in adults. It contains carbidopa and levodopa, which help raise dopamine levels in the brain to improve PD symptoms. It also has entacapone, which works as a COMT inhibitor to help the effects last longer. Stalevo helps lessen "off" time (when movement symptoms come back as the medication wears off). Side effects include involuntary movements, nausea, and diarrhea.

• Parkinson's disease (PD)

• Involuntary movements (dyskinesia, 25%)
• Nausea (14%)
• Rapid involuntary movements (10%)
• Diarrhea (10%)
• Changes in the color of your urine (10%)
• Slow involuntary movements (9%)
• Stomach pain (8%)
• Dizziness (8%)
• Constipation (6%)
• Tiredness (6%)
• Back pain (5%)

• Sleepiness or falling asleep during activities
• Low blood pressure and fainting
• Risk of depression and suicidal behavior
• Hallucinations and changes in behavior and thoughts
• Difficulty controlling impulsive behavior
• High fevers and confusion with treatment changes
• Diarrhea and inflamed colon (colitis)
• Severe muscle damage (rhabdomyolysis)
• Low vitamin B6 levels and seizures
• Interactions with other medications
• Risk of stomach bleeding in people who've had a stomach ulcer