One of the biggest challenges to Parkinson’s disease treatment is the ‘off time’ many patients experience when their medication wears off between doses and leaves them in a state of impaired mobility. Some doctors now hope to combat this problem with Rytary, a new extended release drug that was approved by the FDA in 2015.
How Rytary Works
Rytary is an extended release version of the combination drug levodopa/carbidopa (also available as brand name Sinemet).
Carbidopa/Levodopa is one of the most commonly prescribed medications for Parkinson’s and is widely recognized as the most effective treatment for the motor symptoms of this neurodegenerative disease. When it passes the blood-brain barrier, levodopa is converted to dopamine, a brain chemical that is deficient in people with Parkinson’s. Carbidopa helps prevent levodopa from breaking down too quickly, increasing the amount of dopamine that is delivered to the brain. By restoring dopamine in the brain, this medication helps control Parkinson’s motor symptoms, such as tremors, muscle rigidity, and balance problems.
Unfortunately, as Parkinson’s disease progresses, patients may find that what was once an effective dose of levodopa/carbidopa is no longer adequately controlling their symptoms for the entire length of time in between doses. Rytary may resolve this issue in some patients by gradually releasing medication, keeping the levels of levodopa and carbidopa more consistent in the body and reducing fluctuations of ‘on’ and ‘off’ time.
The Effects of Rytary
In clinical trials, statistically significant improvement in motor skills and the performance of daily activities was found for Rytary at all dosage strengths (with the maximum recommended dose being 97.5mg/390mg). Researchers also found that patients who took Rytary were less likely to experience dyskinesia (involuntary movements and tics), a potential side effect of levodopa/carbidopa.
Of course, like all medications, Rytary still comes with the risk of certain side effects. The most common side effects found in patients in the early stages of Parkinson’s included nausea, vomiting, constipation, headache, dizziness, difficulty sleeping, anxiety, and dry mouth. The most common side effects for patients with advanced Parkinson’s were headache and nausea. These side effects affected less than 5% of the participants who took Rytary in the clinical trials, and most people who used the medication did not notice adverse effects.
Parkinson’s treatment is highly individualized due to the wide range and severity of symptoms, so Rytary may be the best therapeutic option for some patients but not for others. Patients need to work closely with their healthcare providers to tailor the course of treatment that is most effective for them. For more information and to receive a free coupon to save on Rytary visit our drug page.
