Entacapone (Systemic)
Brand Names : Comtan
Before Using This MedicineIn deciding to use a medicine,
the risks of taking entacapone must be weighed against the good it will do.
This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For entacapone, the following
should be considered:
Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual
or allergic reaction to entacapone. Also tell your doctor and pharmacist if
you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or
dyes.
Pregnancy - Entacapone has not been studied in pregnant women.
However, studies in animals have shown that entacapone causes problems with
the development of offspring. Before taking this medicine, make sure your
doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant.
Breast-feeding - It is not known whether entacapone passes into
breast milk.
Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in
adult patients. There is no identified potential use of entacapone in children.
Older adults - Many medicines have not been tested in older people.
Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they
do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in
older people. In studies done to date that included elderly people, entacapone
did not cause different side effects or problems in older people than it did
in younger adults.
Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used
together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together
even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to
change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking
entacapone, it is especially important that your doctor and pharmacist know
if you are taking any of the following:
-
Apomorphine (e.g., Zydis) or
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Bitolterol (e.g., Tornalate) or
-
Epinephrine (e.g., Adrenalin) or
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Isoetherine (e.g., Bronkosol) or
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Isoproterenol (e.g., Isuprel) or
-
Methyldopa (e.g., Aldomet) - Taking these medications with entacapone
may cause a fast or irregular heartbeat and excessive changes in blood pressure.
-
Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors (furazolidone [e.g., Furoxone].
isocarboxazid [e.g., Marplan], phenelzine [e.g., Nardil], procarbazine [e.g.,
Matulane], tranylcypromine [e.g., Parnate]) - Taking these medicines with
entacapone may cause serious unwanted effects.
Note:
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Entacapone may be taken with the selective monoamine oxidase (MAO)
inhibitor selegiline (e.g., Eldepryl). |
Other medical problems - The presence of other medical
problems may affect the use of entacapone. Make sure you tell your doctor
if you have any other medical problems, especially:
-
Liver problems - Side effects of entacapone may be increased
because of a slower removal from the body.
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