Pramipexole is a drug used to treat the symptoms of Parkinson's Disease (PD). It is a _non-ergot dopamine agonist_ drug that is efficacious in treating various Parkinson's symptoms such as tremor, rigidity, and bradykinesia (slow movement) [A176867]. It was first approved by the FDA in 1997 [L5882]. Parkinson's Disease is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders and causes a high level of disability in patients [A176855], leading to increased difficulty in performing activities of daily living due to symptoms that progress over time [A176858]. The prevalence of Parkinson's Disease worldwide has increased from approximately 2.5 million in 1990 to about 6.1 million in 2016 [A176861]. This increase may be attributed to an aging population along with other contributing factors [A176861]. In addition to the above FDA approval for Parkinson's Disease, pramipexole was also approved by the FDA in 2006 for the treatment of Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) [A176873]. RLS is a sleep-related disorder characterized by unpleasant sensations in the lower extremities, often accompanied by an uncontrollable urge to move the legs [A176876].
This drug is indicated for the symptomatic treatment of Parkinson’s disease [FDA label]. This drug can be administered as monotherapy or in conjunction with levodopa. It is also indicated for symptomatic treatment of moderate to severe primary Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) [FDA label].
Drug Info/Drug Targets: DrugBank 3.0: a comprehensive resource for 'omics' research on drugs. Knox C, Law V, Jewison
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