Patient leaflet - Pramipexole 0.088 mg tablets
1. What Pramipexole is and what it is used for
Pramipexole contains the active substance pramipexole and belongs to a group of medicines known as dopamine agonists which stimulate dopamine receptors in the brain. Stimulation of the dopamine receptors triggers nerve impulses in the brain that help to control body movements. Pramipexole is used to:
- treat the symptoms of primary Parkinson’s disease in adults. It can be used alone or in combination with levodopa (another medicine for Parkinson’s disease).
- treat the symptoms of moderate to severe primary Restless Legs Syndrome in adults.
2. What you need to know before you take Pramipexole
Do not take Pramipexole
- if you are allergic to pramipexole or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6). Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor before taking Pramipexole. Tell your doctor if you have or have had or develop any medical conditions or symptoms, especially any of the following:
- Kidney disease
- Hallucinations (seeing, hearing or feeling things that are not there). Most hallucinations are visual
- Dyskinesia (e.g. abnormal, uncontrolled movements of the limbs). If you have advanced Parkinson’s disease and are also taking levodopa, you might develop dyskinesia during the up‑titration of Pramipexole
Dystonia (inability of keeping your body and neck straight and upright (axial dystonia)). In particular, you may experience forward flexion of the head and neck (also called antecollis), forward bending of the lower back (also
called camptocormia) or sidewards bending of the back (also called pleurothotonus or Pisa Syndrome). If this happens, your doctor may want to change your medication.
- Sleepiness and episodes of suddenly falling asleep
- Psychosis (e.g. comparable with symptoms of schizophrenia)
- Vision impairment. You should have regular eye examinations during treatment with Pramipexole
- Severe heart or blood vessels disease. You will need to have your blood pressure checked regularly, especially at the beginning of treatment. This is to avoid postural hypotension (a fall in blood pressure on standing up).
- Restless legs augmentation syndrome. If you experience that symptoms start earlier than usual in the evening (or even the afternoon), are more intense or involve larger parts of the affected limbs or involve other limbs. Your doctor may lower your dose or stop the treatment. Tell your doctor if you or your family/carer notices that you are developing urges or cravings to behave in ways that are unusual for you and you cannot resist the impulse, drive or temptation to carry out certain activities that could harm yourself or others. These are called impulse control disorders and can include behaviours such as addictive gambling, excessive eating or spending, an abnormally high sex drive or preoccupation with an increase in sexual thoughts or feelings. Your doctor may need to adjust or stop your dose.
Tell your doctor if you or your family/carer notices that you are developing mania (agitation, feeling elated or over‑excited) or delirium (decreased awareness, confusion or loss of reality). Your doctor may need to adjust or stop your dose. Tell your doctor if you experience symptoms such as depression, apathy, anxiety, fatigue, sweating or pain after stopping or reducing your Pramipexole treatment. If the
problems persist more than a few weeks, your doctor may need to adjust your treatment.
Children and adolescents
Pramipexole is not recommended for use in children or adolescents under 18 years.
Other medicines and Pramipexole
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. This includes medicines, herbal remedies, health foods or supplements that you have obtained without a prescription. You should avoid taking Pramipexole together with antipsychotic medicines.
Take care if you are taking the following medicines:
- cimetidine (to treat excess stomach acid and stomach ulcers)
- amantadine (which can be used to treat Parkinson’s disease)
- mexiletine (to treat irregular heartbeats, a condition known as ventricular arrhythmia)
- zidovudine (which can be used to treat the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), a disease of the human immune system)
- cisplatin (to treat various types of cancers)
- quinine (which can be used for the prevention of painful night‑time leg cramps and for the treatment of a type of malaria known as falciparum malaria (malignant malaria))
- procainamide (to treat irregular heart beat)
If you are taking levodopa, the dose of levodopa is recommended to be reduced when you start treatment with Pramipexole.
Take care if you are using any medicines that calm you down (have a sedative effect) or if you are drinking alcohol. In these cases Pramipexole may affect your ability to drive and operate machinery.
Pramipexole with food, drink and alcohol
You should be cautious while drinking alcohol during treatment with Pramipexole.
Pramipexole can be taken with or without food. Pregnancy and breast-feeding
If you are pregnant or breast‑feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine. Your doctor will then discuss with you if you should continue to take Pramipexole.
The effect of Pramipexole on the unborn child is not known. Therefore, do not take Pramipexole if you are pregnant unless your doctor tells you to do so. Pramipexole should not be used during breast‑feeding. Pramipexole can reduce the production of breast milk. Also, it can pass into the breast milk and can reach your baby. If use of Pramipexole is unavoidable, breast‑feeding should be stopped.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking any medicine.
Driving and using machines
Pramipexole can cause hallucinations (seeing, hearing or feeling things that are not there). If affected, do not drive or use machines.
Pramipexole has been associated with sleepiness and episodes of suddenly falling asleep, particularly in patients with Parkinson’s disease. If you experience these side effects, you must not drive or operate machinery. Please tell your doctor if this occurs.
3. How to take Pramipexole
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure. The doctor will advise you on the right dosing.
You can take Pramipexole with or without food. Swallow the tablets with water.
Parkinson’s disease
The daily dose is to be taken divided into 3 equal doses. During the first week, the usual dose is 1 tablet Pramipexole 0.088 mg three times a day (equivalent to 0.264 mg daily):
1st week
Number of tablets 1 tablet Pramipexole 0.088 mg
three times a day
Total daily dose (mg) 0.264
This will be increased every 5 – 7 days as directed by your doctor until your symptoms are controlled (maintenance dose).
2nd week 3rd week
Number of
tablets
1 tablet Pramipexole
0.18 mg three times
a day
OR
2 tablets
Pramipexole
0.088 mg three
times a day
1 tablet Pramipexole 0.35 mg three times a day
OR
2 tablets Pramipexole 0.18 mg three times a day
Total daily
dose (mg)
0.54 1.1
The usual maintenance dose is 1.1 mg per day. However, your dose may have to be increased even further. If necessary, your doctor may increase your tablet dose up to a maximum of 3.3 mg of pramipexole a day. A lower maintenance dose of three Pramipexole 0.088 mg tablets a day is also possible.
Lowest maintenance dose
Highest maintenance dose
Number of
tablets
1 tablet Pramipexole
0.088 mg three
times a day
1 tablet Pramipexole 1.1 mg three times a day*
Total daily
dose (mg)
0.264 3.3
*In case that a specific strength of Pramipexole is not available on the market, other strengths can be used to achieve the recommended daily dose.
Patients with kidney disease
If you have moderate or severe kidney disease, your doctor will prescribe a lower dose. In this case, you will have to take the tablets only once or twice a day. If you have moderate kidney disease, the usual starting dose is 1 tablet Pramipexole 0.088 mg twice a day. In severe kidney disease, the usual starting dose is just 1 tablet Pramipexole 0.088 mg a day.
Restless Legs Syndrome
The dose is usually taken once a day, in the evening, 2‑3 hours before bedtime.
During the first week, the usual dose is 1 tablet Pramipexole 0.088 mg once a day (equivalent to 0.088 mg daily):
1st week
Number of tablets 1 tablet Pramipexole 0.088 mg Total daily dose (mg) 0.088
This will be increased every 4‑7 days as directed by your doctor until your symptoms are controlled (maintenance dose).
2nd week 3rd week 4th week Number
of tablets
1 tablet
Pramipexole
0.18 mg
OR
2 tablets
Pramipexole
0.088 mg
1 tablet
Pramipexole
0.35 mg
OR
2 tablets
Pramipexole
0.18 mg
OR
4 tablets
Pramipexole
0.088 mg
1 tablet Pramipexole 0.35 mg and 1 tablet Pramipexole 0.18 mg OR 3 tablets Pramipexole 0.18 mg OR 6 tablets Pramipexole 0.088 mg Total
daily
dose
(mg)
0.18 0.35 0.54
The daily dose should not exceed 6 tablets Pramipexole 0.088 mg or a dose of 0.54 mg (0.75 mg pramipexole salt). If you stop taking your tablets for more than a few days and want to restart the treatment, you must start again at the lowest dose. You can then build up the dose again, as you did the first time. Ask your doctor for advice. Your doctor will review your treatment after 3 months to decide whether or not to continue the treatment. Patients with kidney disease
If you have severe kidney disease, Pramipexole may not be a suitable treatment for you.
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130 mm ± 0,5 mm PL.PRAMIPEXOLE TBL GB second page
If you take more Pramipexole than you should
If you accidentally take too many tablets:
- Contact your doctor or nearest hospital casualty department immediately for advice.
- You may experience vomiting, restlessness, or any of the side effects as described in section 4. “Possible side effects”.
If you forget to take Pramipexole
Do not worry. Simply leave out that dose completely and then take your next dose at the right time.
Do not try to make up for the missed dose.
If you stop taking Pramipexole
Do not stop taking Pramipexole without first talking to your doctor. If you have to stop taking this medicine, your doctor will reduce the dose gradually. This reduces the risk of worsening symptoms.
If you suffer from Parkinson’s disease you should not stop treatment with Pramipexole abruptly. A sudden stop could cause you to develop a medical condition called neuroleptic malignant syndrome which may represent a major health risk. The symptoms include:
- akinesia (loss of muscle movement)
- rigid muscles
- fever
- unstable blood pressure
- tachycardia (increased heart rate)
- confusion
depressed level of consciousness (e.g. coma). If you stop or reduce Pramipexole you may also develop a medical condition called dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome. The symptoms include depression, apathy, anxiety, fatigue, sweating or pain. If you experience these symptoms you should contact your physician.
If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
4. Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Evaluation of these side effects is based on the following frequencies:
Very common may affect more than 1 in 10 people Common may affect up to 1 in 10 people Uncommon may affect up to 1 in 100 people Rare may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people Very rare may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people Not known frequency cannot be estimated from the
available data
If you suffer from Parkinson’s disease, you may experience the following side effects:
Very common:
- Dyskinesia (e.g. abnormal, uncontrolled movements of the limbs)
- Sleepiness
- Dizziness
- Nausea (sickness)
Common:
- Urge to behave in an unusual way
- Hallucinations (seeing, hearing or feeling things that are not there)
- Confusion
- Tiredness (fatigue)
- Sleeplessness (insomnia)
- Excess of fluid, usually in the legs (peripheral oedema)
- Headache
Hypotension (low blood pressure)
- Abnormal dreams
- Constipation
- Visual impairment
- Vomiting (being sick)
- Weight loss including decreased appetite
Uncommon:
- Paranoia (e.g. excessive fear for one’s own well‑being)
- Delusion
- Excessive daytime sleepiness and suddenly falling asleep
- Amnesia (memory disturbance)
- Hyperkinesia (increased movements and inability to keep still)
- Weight increase
- Allergic reactions (e.g. rash, itching, hypersensitivity)
- Fainting
- Cardiac failure (heart problems which can cause shortness of breath or ankle swelling)*
- Inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion*
- Restlessness
- Dyspnoea (difficulties to breathe)
- Hiccups
- Pneumonia (infection of the lungs)
Inability to resist the impulse, drive or temptation to perform an action that could be harmful to you or others, which may include:
- Strong impulse to gamble excessively despite serious personal or family consequences.
- Altered or increased sexual interest and behaviour of significant concern to you or to others, for example, an increased sexual drive.
Uncontrollable excessive shopping or spending - Binge eating (eating large amounts of food in a short time period) or compulsive eating (eating more food than normal and more than is needed to satisfy your hunger)*
- Delirium (decreased awareness, confusion, loss of reality)
Rare:
- Mania (agitation, feeling elated or over‑excited)
- Spontaneous penile erection
Not known:
- After stopping or reducing your Pramipexole treatment: Depression, apathy, anxiety, fatigue, sweating or pain may occur (called dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome or DAWS).
Tell your doctor if you experience any of these behaviours; he will discuss ways of managing or reducing the symptoms.
For the side effects marked with * a precise frequency estimation is not possible, since these side effects were not observed in clinical studies among 2,762 patients treated with pramipexole. The frequency category is probably not greater than “uncommon”.
If you suffer from Restless Legs Syndrome, you may experience the following side effects:
Very common:
- Nausea (sickness).
- Symptoms that start earlier than usual, are more intense or involve other limbs (Restless legs augmentation syndrome).
Common:
- Changes in sleep pattern, such as sleeplessness (insomnia) and sleepiness
- Tiredness (fatigue)
- Headache
- Abnormal dreams
- Constipation
- Dizziness
Vomiting (being sick)
Uncommon:
- Urge to behave in an unusual way*
- Cardiac failure (heart problems which can cause shortness of breath or ankle swelling)*
- Inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion*
- Dyskinesia (e.g. abnormal, uncontrolled movements of the limbs)
- Hyperkinesia (increased movements and inability to keep still)*
- Paranoia (e.g. excessive fear for one’s own well‑being)*
- Delusion*
- Amnesia (memory disturbance)*
- Hallucinations (seeing, hearing or feeling things that are not there)
- Confusion
- Excessive daytime sleepiness and suddenly falling asleep
- Weight increase
- Hypotension (low blood pressure)
- Excess of fluid, usually in the legs (peripheral oedema)
- Allergic reactions (e.g. rash, itching, hypersensitivity)
- Fainting
- Restlessness
- Visual impairment
- Weight loss including decreased appetite
- Dyspnoea (difficulties to breathe)
- Hiccups
- Pneumonia (infection of the lungs)*
Inability to resist the impulse, drive or temptation to perform an action that could be harmful to you or others, which may include:
- Strong impulse to gamble excessively despite serious personal or family consequences.*
Altered or increased sexual interest and behaviour of significant concern to you or to others, for example, an increased sexual drive.*
- Uncontrollable excessive shopping or spending.* - Binge eating (eating large amounts of food in a short time period) or compulsive eating (eating more food than normal and more than is needed to satisfy your hunger)*
- Mania (agitation, feeling elated or over‑excited)*
- Delirium (decreased awareness, confusion, loss of reality)* Rare:
- Spontaneous penile erection
Not known:
- After stopping or reducing your Pramipexole treatment: Depression, apathy, anxiety, fatigue, sweating or pain may occur (called dopamine agonist withdrawal syndrome or DAWS).
Tell your doctor if you experience any of these behaviours; he will discuss ways of managing or reducing the symptoms.
For the side effects marked with * a precise frequency estimation is not possible, since these side effects were not observed in clinical studies among 1,395 patients treated with pramipexole. The frequency category is probably not greater than “uncommon”.
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via Yellow Card Scheme,
Website: yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
5. How to store Pramipexole
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children. Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the packaging after EXP. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
Store in the original package in order to protect from light. Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.
6. Contents of the pack and other information
What Pramipexole contains
- The active substance is pramipexole. Each tablet contains 0.088 mg, 0.18 mg, 0.35 mg or 0.7 mg pramipexole as 0.125 mg, 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg or 1 mg pramipexole dihydrochloride monohydrate, respectively.
- The other ingredients are mannitol, maize starch, pregelatinised maize starch, povidone K25, colloidal anhydrous silica and magnesium stearate. What Pramipexole looks like and contents of the pack
Pramipexole 0.088 mg tablets are white, round, with bevelled edges and imprint ”P6” on one side of the tablet. Pramipexole 0.18 mg tablets are white, oval, with bevelled edges, both sides scored, with imprint ”P7” on both halves of one side of the tablet. The tablet can be divided into equal doses.
Pramipexole 0.35 mg tablets are white, oval, with bevelled edges, both sides scored, with imprint ”P8” on both halves of one side of the tablet. The tablet can be divided into equal doses.
Pramipexole 0.7 mg tablets are white, round, with bevelled edges, both sides scored, with imprint ”P9” on both halves of one side of the tablet. The tablet can be divided into equal doses.
Boxes of 20, 30, 60, 90 and 100 tablets in blisters of 10 tablets are available.
Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
Marketing Authorisation Holder
KRKA, d.d., Novo mesto, Šmarješka cesta 6, 8501 Novo mesto, Slovenia
Manufacturer
KRKA, d.d., Novo mesto, Šmarješka cesta 6, 8501 Novo mesto, Slovenia
This leaflet was last revised in April 2026.
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