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Carbidopa / Levodopa Dosage

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Aug 3, 2023.

Applies to the following strengths: 10 mg-100 mg; 25 mg-100 mg; 25 mg-250 mg; 50 mg-200 mg; 4.63 mg-20 mg/mL; 36.25 mg-145 mg; 48.75 mg-195 mg; 61.25 mg-245 mg; 23.75 mg-95 mg

Usual Adult Dose for Parkinson's Disease

Optimum dosage is determined by careful individual titration: All doses expressed as CARBIDOPA-LEVODOPA

Immediate-release including Oral disintegrating tablets:
Initial dose: 25 mg-100 mg orally three times a day or 10 mg-100 mg orally 3 or 4 times a day

Conversion from LEVODOPA:

Sustained-Release Tablets (SINEMET CR):
Conversion from IMMEDIATE-RELEASE levodopa with or without a decarboxylase inhibitor:

Extended-Release Capsules (RYTARY):
Conversion from IMMEDIATE-RELEASE carbidopa-levodopa to RYTARY: These recommended starting doses should be divided and given 3 times a day:

Comments:

Use: For the treatment of the symptoms of idiopathic Parkinson's disease, postencephalitic parkinsonism, and symptomatic parkinsonism which may follow injury to the nervous system by carbon monoxide intoxication and/or manganese intoxication.

DUOPA Enteral Suspension (carbidopa 4.63 mg-levodopa 20 mg per mL) is indicated for the treatment of motor fluctuations in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease.

Initiation: Convert all forms of levodopa to oral immediate-release carbidopa-levodopa tablets using 1:4 ratio tablets.
Adjust doses based on clinical response:
MORNING DOSE is administered rapidly (over 10 to 30 minutes) to achieve a therapeutic dose level; this dose should be adjusted if there is an inadequate clinical response within 1 hour of the morning dose on the preceding day:
CONTINUOUS DOSE:
MAXIMUM DOSE: 1 cassette (levodopa 2000 mg) over 16 hours; patient will take their night-time dose of oral immediate-release carbidopa-levodopa.

Renal Dose Adjustments

Use with caution.

Liver Dose Adjustments

Use with caution.

Dose Adjustments

When initiating this drug, administration of other standard antiparkinsonian drugs may continue; however, dose adjustments of these drugs may be needed.

RYTARY (carbidopa-levodopa extended-release capsule) is not interchangeable with other carbidopa-levodopa products.

Precautions

Safety and efficacy have not been established in patients younger than 18 years.

Consult WARNINGS section for additional precautions.

Dialysis

Data not available.

Other Comments

Administration advice:
Oral Disintegrating Tablets:


Sinemet CR(R) Tablets:

Rytary(R) Extended-Release Capsules:

Intestinal Suspension (DUOPA):

Storage requirements: DUOPA Cassettes:

Stability:

General:

Monitoring:

Patient advice:

Frequently asked questions

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.