What is levodopa?
Levodopa is a medication used to treat Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's disease is associated with low levels of a chemical called dopamine (doe PA meen) in the brain. Levodopa is turned into dopamine in the body and therefore increases levels of this chemical.
Levodopa is used to treat the stiffness, tremors, spasms, and poor muscle control of Parkinson's disease. Levodopa is also used to treat these same muscular conditions when they are caused by drugs such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine), fluphenazine (Prolixin), perphenazine (Trilafon), and others.
Levodopa may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.
What is the most important information I should know about levodopa?
Contact your doctor immediately if you experience uncontrollable movements of the face, eyelids, mouth, tongue, neck, arms, hands, or legs; severe or persistent nausea or vomiting; an irregular heartbeat or fluttering in the chest; or unusual changes in mood or behavior.
Use caution when driving, operating machinery, or performing other hazardous activities. Levodopa may cause dizziness or drowsiness. If you experience dizziness or drowsiness, avoid these activities.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking levodopa?
Do not take levodopa if you have taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI), such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), tranylcypromine (Parnate), or phenelzine (Nardil) withinin the past 2 weeks.
Do not take levodopa without first talking to your doctor if you have
Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you have
any kind of heart disease, including high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, hardening of the arteries, a previous heart attack, or an irregular heartbeat;
respiratory disease, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD);
liver disease;
kidney disease;
an endocrine (hormonal) disease;
a stomach or intestinal ulcer;
wide-angle glaucoma; or
depression or any other psychiatric disorder.
You may need a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above.
It is not known whether levodopa will be harmful to an unborn baby. Do not take levodopa without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment.
It is not known whether levodopa will be harmful to a nursing infant. Do not take levodopa without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.