New Drug for Restless Legs Syndrome (Aug. 2005)

admin | Mar 30, 2010 | Comments 1

The FDA recently approved a drug called Requip (ropinorole) to treat moderate to severe restless legs syndrome (RLS), a neurologic disorder characterized by uncomfortable sensations in the legs that appear at rest, usually at night, and that induces a strong desire to move the legs. This can result in chronic insomnia and sleep deprivation. Requip is manufactured by glaxosmithkline. The drug is a dopamine agonist and it was first approved in 1997 to treat Parkinson’s disease. Requip was found to be effective in treating RLS in three randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies. The label for the drug will caution that Requip can have sedating effects, and that syncope and symptomatic hypotension can occur, especially during initial treatment.