Entacapone

Comtan is used along with other medications (levodopa/carbidopa) to treat symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease including stiffness, tremors, muscle spasms, and poor muscle control. Comtan works by blocking COMT enzyme that breaks down the levodopa in the body allowing it to last longer before the next dose.

• Comtan

• Comtan
• Entacapone
• Ongentys
• Tasmar
• Tolcapone

• Tablet

• By mouth

Take your medicine as directed. Your dose may need to be changed several times to find what works best for you.

Missed dose: Take a dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait until then and take a regular dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up for a missed dose.

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light.

This medicine is not right for everyone. Do not use it if you had an allergic reaction to entacapone.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you have liver disease, low blood pressure, muscle problems, or a history of mental illness.

This medicine may cause the following problems:Low blood pressureUnusual changes in mood or behavior, compulsive behaviors, hallucinationsPossible increased risk for skin cancer

This medicine may make you dizzy or drowsy. It may even cause you to fall asleep without warning. Do not drive or do anything that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you. Stand up slowly if you feel dizzy or lightheaded.

Do not stop using this medicine suddenly. Your doctor will need to slowly decrease your dose before you stop it completely.

Your doctor will check your progress and the effects of this medicine at regular visits. Keep all appointments.

Keep all medicine out of the reach of children. Never share your medicine with anyone.

Severe diarrhea

Skin changes or growths

Twitching or muscle movements you cannot control, tremors, problems with balance or walking

Some medicines can affect how entacapone works. Tell your doctor if you are also using alpha-methyldopa, apomorphine, cholestyramine, dobutamine, dopamine, epinephrine, isoetharine, isoproterenol, norepinephrine, probenecid, selegiline, warfarin, an MAO inhibitor (MAOI, such as phenelzine, tranylcypromine), or medicine to treat an infection (such as ampicillin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, rifampicin).

Tell your doctor if you use anything else that makes you sleepy. Some examples are allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, and alcohol.

Your doctor will check your progress and the effects of this medicine at regular visits. Keep all appointments.

Keep all medicine out of the reach of children. Never share your medicine with anyone.

This medicine may make you dizzy or drowsy. It may even cause you to fall asleep without warning. Do not drive or do anything that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you. Stand up slowly if you feel dizzy or lightheaded.

Do not stop using this medicine suddenly. Your doctor will need to slowly decrease your dose before you stop it completely.

• Skin changes or growths
• Severe diarrhea
• Fever, muscle pain, stiffness, tenderness, or weakness
• Seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there
• Twitching or muscle movements you cannot control, tremors, problems with balance or walking
• Extreme sleepiness or drowsiness
• Confusion, unusual changes in mood or behaviors, behaviors you cannot control
• Allergic reaction: Itching or hives, swelling in your face or hands, swelling or tingling in your mouth or throat, chest tightness, trouble breathing
• Lightheadedness, dizziness, fainting
• Mild diarrhea, nausea, stomach pain
• Brown urine