Entacapone (Oral Route)
Name: Entacapone (Oral Route)
- Entacapone Oral Route brand name
- Entacapone Oral Route dosage
- Entacapone Oral Route dosage forms
- Entacapone Oral Route 1600 mg
- Entacapone Oral Route average dose
US Brand Name
- Comtan
Descriptions
Entacapone is used in combination with levodopa/carbidopa to treat end-of-dose "wearing off" effect in patients with Parkinson's disease, sometimes called shaking palsy. Parkinson's disease is a disorder of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord).
Dopamine is a naturally occurring substance in the brain that helps provide control of movement and activities such as walking and talking. In patients with Parkinson's disease, there is not enough dopamine in some parts of the brain. Entacapone helps levodopa last longer by blocking a substance called COMT enzyme. This enzyme breaks down levodopa before it reaches the brain. When less levodopa is broken down, more is available to the brain. Increased availability of levodopa may lead to smoother and steadier levels of dopamine in the brain, which may provide better symptom control for longer periods each day. This may lead to improvement in daily activities.
This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.
This product is available in the following dosage forms:
- Tablet
Pregnancy
| Pregnancy Category | Explanation | |
|---|---|---|
| All Trimesters | C | Animal studies have shown an adverse effect and there are no adequate studies in pregnant women OR no animal studies have been conducted and there are no adequate studies in pregnant women. |
Breastfeeding
There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.
Other Medical Problems
The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
- Colitis (inflammation of the colon) or
- Dyskinesia (abnormal muscle movements) or
- Kidney disease or
- Psychosis (mental disorder), or history of—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.
- Liver disease—Use with caution. The effects may be increased because of slower removal of the medicine from the body.
Dosing
The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.
The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.
- For oral dosage form (tablets):
- For Parkinson's disease:
- Adults—200 milligrams (mg) with each levodopa/carbidopa dose. Your doctor may increase your dose up to 8 times per day for a total dose of 1600 mg per day.
- Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
- For Parkinson's disease: