hi helen

you wrote:
>I called Kaiser and they knew nothing about Mirapex=20
>but said I should call the maker. Can you fill me in more=20
>about who makes it and where I can get information to give=20
>my Nuro.=20

i've copied below two news articles about mirapex that were posted recently.

>After giving me other meds, my Nuro said if Sinemet=20
>does not work, he didn't think he could do more.  He told=20
>me to take 25/100 Sinemet CR, whole or half three times=20
>a day plus one whole before bedtime.

helen, it sounds to me like your neuro is running out of energy
maybe it might be time for a second opinion?
or a pd/movement specialist/type/neuro?

just because he's losing sight of potential solutions
doesn't mean they're not out there


with love to you and yours

your syber sis

janet

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Use Of Pramipexole Improves Symptoms=20
In Advanced Parkinson's Patients On Levodopa
----------------------------------------------------------------------
=20
WESTPORT, Jul 17 (Reuters) - Last week, Reuters Health reported on a study
published in JAMA that showed that pramipexole is safe and effective
short-term treatment for patients with early-stage Parkinson's disease.

Researchers in Phoenix, Arizona, now report that use of pramipexole,
administered concurrently with levodopa, improves the management of
patients with advanced Parkinson's disease and allows for a reduction in
levodopa dosage.

Dr. Abraham Lieberman of the St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in
Phoenix and other investigators in the Pramipexole Study Group examined the
efficacy of pramipexole in combination with levodopa in the management of
advanced Parkinson's. Their findings appear in the July issue of Neurology.

Dr. Lieberman's team randomized 306 patients enrolled at 26 centers to
levodopa in combination with either pramipexole or placebo for the 32-week
trial.

The Arizona group discovered that "...pramipexole, when administered
concurrently with levodopa, improves patients with advanced [Parkinson's
disease] and levodopa-induced motor fluctuations."

Pramipexole improved motor function during both the so-called "on" and
"off" periods associated with levodopa use, decreased the overall amount of
time spent in "off" periods by 31% and reduced the severity of "off"=
 periods.

Pramipexole was specifically effective in improving resting tremor,
rigidity, and limb bradykinesia, according to Dr. Lieberman and colleagues.
Moreover, "...addition of pramipexole resulted in a 27% reduction in the
dosage of levodopa."

The Pramipexole Study Group investigators conclude that "...pramipexole is
an effective and safe treatment for all stages of [Parkinson's disease]
from early to advanced, can be used alone or in combination with levodopa,
and appears to be as effective as bromocriptine, pergolide, and=
 cabergoline."

Neurology 1997;49:162-168.
Copyright =A9 1997 Reuters Limited.
>http://www.reutershealth.com/news/docs/199707/19970717clb.html

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First new Parkinson's drug in eight years approved
----------------------------------------------------------------------
=20
Copyright ) 1997 Nando.net
Copyright ) 1997 Reuter Information Service
=20
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (July 2, 1997 6:08 p.m. EDT) - The first new treament of
Parkinson's disease since 1989 was cleared Wednesday for sale in the United
States.

Parkinson's is a debilitating tremor disorder often affecting the elderly.

The Food and Drug Administration approved Mirapex, a dopamine agonist made
by Swedish-American Pharmacia & Upjohn Inc., the company said.

Mirapex was shown in clinical trials to be useful in treating patients who
have idiopathic Parkinson's disease in early and advanced stages, Pharmacia
& Upjohn said.

"Mirapex will provide another option for Parkinson's patients to improve
their daily living functions," said Mark Corrigan, a Pharmacia & Upjohn
vice president.

"Mirapex can be used with other Parkinson's medications," including
levodopa, the most commonly used therapy for advanced Parkinson's, Corrigan
said.

Side-effects, such as nausea, dizziness, drowsiness or hallucinations, may
affect some people taking the drug, the firm said.

Such side-effects are typical for Parkinson's medications. "Unfortunately,
that's true," said Hemant Shah, an independent drug industry analyst. "This
is not a cure for Parkinson's. Basically it relieves the symptoms."

The annual sales potential for Mirapex is estimated to be $100 million to
$150 million, Wall Street analysts said.

Pharmacia & Upjohn had 1996 net sales of $7.18 billion.

"This is not a surprise and it's not a large product for them," said
Oppenheimer & Co drug industry analyst Steven Gerber in New York.

Pharmacia & Upjohn and marketing partner Boehringer Ingelheim
Pharmaceuticals Inc., the U.S. unit of a German group of companies, plan to
begin distributing Mirapex to U.S. pharmacies by July 10.

 http://www.nando.net/newsroom/ntn/health/070297/health38_27720.html
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