Why is this drug prescribed?

Sinemet 62.5, Sinemet 110, Sinemet Plus and Sinemet 275 tablets all contain the active ingredients levodopa and carbidopa. This combination of drugs is also sometimes known as co-careldopa. It is used in Parkinson's disease to increase the levels of dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a substance known as a neurotransmitter. Neurotransmitters are found the brain and nervous system and are involved in transmitting messages between nerves. These messages allow the normal functioning of the body. The neurotransmitter dopamine is known to be reduced or absent in the brains of people with Parkinson's disease, and this is thought to be the cause of the disease symptoms. When you take levodopa, it is converted into dopamine in the brain. This replaces the lost dopamine and therefore reduces some of the symptoms of the disease. Levodopa is also converted into dopamine in the rest of the body, which can cause unwanted side effects such as nausea and palpitations. Carbidopa is used in combination with the levodopa to prevent this happening. Carbidopa is a type of drug called a dopa-decarboxylase inhibitor. It blocks the conversion of levodopa to dopamine in the body and so prevents these side effects. The combination of levodopa and carbidopa is therefore effective in the treatment of Parkinson's disease, while minimising the side effects caused by levodopa on the rest of the body.

Treatments

* Parkinson's disease.

What side effects can this drug cause?

* Difficulty performing voluntary movements, resulting in jerky or involuntary movements or muscle twitches * Disturbances of the gut such as diarrhoea, constipation, nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain * Mood changes, strange or abnormal thoughts or depression * Confusion * Awareness of your heartbeat * Irregular heart beats * A drop in blood pressure that occurs when going from lying down to sitting or standing, which results in dizziness and lightheadedness * Loss of appetite * Dry mouth * Weakness or loss of strength * Difficulty in sleeping * Sleepiness * Suddenly falling asleep * False perceptions of things that are not really there * Bleeding or ulceration in the stomach or intestines * Disturbances in the normal numbers of blood cells in the blood * Inability to resist impulses to gambling * Increased sex drive and excessive interest or involvement in sexual activity * Visual disturbances * Difficulty in breathing