Prescription instructions for patients with Parkinson's disease taking entacapone/cordan

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease. Patients usually experience symptoms such as tremor, stiffness, and bradykinesia. Drug treatment is the main treatment method. As an important auxiliary therapeutic drug, Entacapone can prolong the action time of levodopa and reduce the impact of the "end-of-dose phenomenon" (that is, the sudden disappearance of the drug effect) on the patient's quality of life. When using entacapone, Parkinson's patients need to pay special attention to the following aspects.

First, patients need to take entacapone strictly according to the doctor's instructions. Entacapone is usually used in combination with levodopa or carbidopa, and its dose and frequency of use should be adjusted based on the patient's specific condition. Excessive use of entacapone may lead to worsening of side effects, while underdosing may not achieve the desired therapeutic effect. Therefore, patients must follow their doctor's prescriptions and avoid adjusting drug dosages on their own.

Secondly, entacapone may cause gastrointestinal discomfort, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. Patients should pay attention to dietary adjustments during use, avoid eating too greasy and irritating foods, and avoid aggravating gastrointestinal burden. At the same time, if symptoms such as diarrhea occur, patients should communicate with their doctor in time to adjust the treatment plan.

In addition, long-term use of entacapone may cause liver function damage, and patients need to undergo regular liver function tests, especially those with a history of liver disease. While taking entacapone, patients should also have their kidney function and cardiovascular health checked regularly to prevent potential risks.

Patients also need to pay special attention to the psychiatric symptoms that entacapone may cause, including hallucinations, anxiety, agitation, etc. If these symptoms occur, patients should inform their doctor immediately, as medications may need to be adjusted or other treatments used.

Reference materials:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entacapone