Drug Interactions between ragweed pollen allergen extract and Stalevo 200

GENERALLY AVOID: Alcohol may potentiate some of the pharmacologic effects of levodopa. Use in combination may result in additive central nervous system depression and/or impairment of judgment, thinking, and psychomotor skills.

MONITOR: Limited clinical data suggest that high protein content in the diet may reduce or cause fluctuations in the clinical response to oral and enteral formulations of levodopa in patients with Parkinson's disease. Proposed mechanisms include delayed gastric emptying, decreased levodopa absorption when taken with a protein rich diet, and competition with certain amino acids for transport across the gut wall and/or the blood brain barrier. Data have been conflicting. Clinical studies have variously reported no effect, reduced levodopa absorption with low-protein meals, reduced effects of oral and enteral formulations of levodopa with high daily protein intake, and no differences compared to fasting with high-protein meals. Neuroleptic malignant-like symptoms were reported in a patient with Parkinson's disease who was receiving pramipexole, entacapone, and immediate-release levodopa/carbidopa, after the protein content of his enteral feedings via nasogastric tube was increased from 0.88 g/kg/day to 1.8 g/kg/day; symptoms improved after the protein was reduced to 1 g/kg/day and bromocriptine was administered. Another patient receiving immediate-release carbidopa/levodopa, pramipexole, and entacapone experienced severe rigidity after initiation of continuous enteral nutrition via oral gastric tube containing 1.4 g/kg/day of protein; his Parkinsonian symptoms improved after the protein content was reduced to 0.9 g/kg/day, the feeding was changed to bolus feedings, and the levodopa was administered between boluses.

MANAGEMENT: In general, alcohol consumption should be avoided or limited during treatment with CNS-depressant agents. Until more data are available, it is advisable to avoid large fluctuations in daily protein intake and to monitor patients for altered effects of oral and enteral levodopa formulations if the protein content of the diet is increased.

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GENERALLY AVOID: Alcohol may potentiate some of the pharmacologic effects of CNS-active agents. Use in combination may result in additive central nervous system depression and/or impairment of judgment, thinking, and psychomotor skills.

MANAGEMENT: Patients receiving CNS-active agents should be warned of this interaction and advised to avoid or limit consumption of alcohol. Ambulatory patients should be counseled to avoid hazardous activities requiring complete mental alertness and motor coordination until they know how these agents affect them, and to notify their physician if they experience excessive or prolonged CNS effects that interfere with their normal activities.

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ADJUST DOSING INTERVAL: Since sublingual preparations of allergenic extracts are meant to be absorbed directly from tissues under the tongue into the blood stream, consuming food or beverage during or immediately after administration may reduce the systemic bioavailability of the medication.

MONITOR: Coadministration of allergenic extracts for allergy immunotherapy with alcohol may potentiate the risk of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. According to some studies, alcohol is an augmenting factor influencing immunological mechanisms that can induce more severe allergic reactions and is involved in up to 15% of cases of anaphylactic reactions. Proposed mechanisms include an increase in allergen absorption from altered permeability of the intestinal epithelial barrier, enhancing mast cell and basophil activation, and an increase in serum IgE concentrations. A causal relationship with all allergenic extracts has not been established.

MANAGEMENT: Food or beverage should not be taken with, or for at least 5 minutes after, the administration of sublingual allergenic extracts. Patients should also avoid swallowing for about 1 minute following placement of the allergen extract under the tongue. Caution is advised if allergenic extracts for immunotherapy are used concomitantly with alcohol. Some manufacturers of peanut allergen extract recommend alcohol not be consumed for 2 hours before, or 2 hours after taking peanut allergen extract and if alcohol use cannot be avoided, that withholding or decreasing peanut allergen dosage should be considered. Individual prescribing information should be consulted for further guidance and clinical monitoring may be considered.

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ADJUST DOSING INTERVAL: The oral bioavailability and pharmacologic effects of levodopa and carbidopa may be decreased during concurrent administration with iron-containing products. The proposed mechanism is chelation of levodopa and carbidopa by the iron cation, forming an insoluble complex that is poorly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. In nine patients with Parkinson's disease, administration of levodopa-carbidopa 100 mg-25 mg with ferrous sulfate 325 mg decreased levodopa peak plasma concentration (Cmax) and systemic exposure (AUC) by 47% and 30%, respectively, and carbidopa Cmax and AUC by 77% and 82%, respectively, compared to administration with placebo. There was also evidence of reduced efficacy of levodopa in some patients. In another study consisting of eight healthy subjects, coadministration of levodopa 250 mg with ferrous sulfate 325 mg resulted in greater than 50% reductions in the Cmax and AUC of levodopa compared to administration of levodopa alone. The magnitude of the interaction was the greatest in patients whose plasma levels of levodopa were the highest following administration of levodopa alone.

MANAGEMENT: Until more information is available, patients receiving levodopa and/or carbidopa in combination with iron-containing products should be advised to separate the times of administration by as much as possible. Patients should be monitored for reduced efficacy of levodopa, and the dosage adjusted as necessary.

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