Amantadine

Amantadine is recommended for Parkinson's disease, sometimes called paralysis agitans or shaking palsy. It may be given alone or with other medicines for Parkinson's disease. By reducing stiffness and improving muscle control, Amantadine allows more normal movements of the body as the disease symptoms are reduced. The medicine is also used to treat stiffness and shaking caused by certain medicines used to treat nervous, mental, and emotional conditions. Sold under the name Symmetrel and Vyregit, Amantadine is used both as an antiviral and an antiparkinsonian drug. Rimantadine is a closely related derivative of adamantane with similar biological properties.
Medications and Prescriptions
Generic name: adamantan

Product Brand Name: Viregit
Amantadine description
The following aspects should be considered for Amantadine:

Allergies:
Inform your physician if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to Amantadine. Also inform if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy:
Though studies have not been done in humans, there have been reports of birth defects, including birth defects of the heart, when women took Amantadine during the first trimester of pregnancy. Also, a defect involving the lower leg occurred in one infant. Moreover, studies in some animals have shown that Amantadine is harmful to the fetus and causes birth defects. Before taking this medicine, make sure that your doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant.



Breast-feeding:
As Amantadine passes into breast milk, it is advisable to take another medicine or to stop breast-feeding during treatment. However, the effects of Amantadine in newborn babies and infants are not known. You are required to discuss the risks and benefits of the medicine with your doctor.

Children:
This medicine has been tested in children over 1 year of age and has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems in these children than it does in adults. However, there is no precise information comparing the use of Amantadine in children less than 1 year of age.

Older adults:
Aged people are especially sensitive to the effects of Amantadine which may cause confusion, difficult urination, blurred vision, constipation, and dry mouth, nose, and throat.
Other medicines:
There are certain medicines which should not be used together at all. But in some cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In such cases, your doctor may prescribe you to change the dose or other precautions as may be necessary. If you use Amantadine, it is very particular that your doctor know if you are taking any of the following:

Amphetamines or Appetite suppressants (diet pills), except fenfluramine (e.g., Pondimin), or

Caffeine (e.g., NoDoz) or

Chlophedianol (e.g., Ulone) or

Cocaine or

Medicine for asthma or other breathing problems or

Medicine for colds, sinus problems, or hay fever or other allergies (including nose drops or sprays) or

Methylphenidate (e.g., Ritalin) or

Nabilone (e.g., Cesamet) or

Pemoline (e.g., Cylert) — Amantadine combined with these medicines may increase the chance of unwanted effects such as nervousness, irritability, trouble in sleeping, and possibly seizures or irregular heartbeat

Anticholinergics (medicine for abdominal or stomach spasms or cramps) — The combined effect of Amantadine with these medicines may increase the chance of unwanted effects such as blurred vision, dryness of the mouth, confusion, hallucinations, and nightmares

Quinidine (e.g., Quinaglute Dura-tabs, Quinidex Extentabs) or

Quinine or Trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole (e.g., Bactrim, Septra)—these medicines may increase the amount of Amantadine in the blood and increase the chance for side effects.

Other medical problems — the use of Amantadine may be affected if you have other medical problems. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

Eczema (recurring)—Amantadine may cause or worsen eczema

Epilepsy or other seizure disorder (history of)—Amantadine may increase the frequency of convulsions (seizures) in patients with a seizure disorder

Heart disease or other circulation problems or swelling of feet and ankles—despite increasing the chance of swelling of the feet and ankles, Amantadine may worsen heart disease or circulation problems. Kidney disease—since Amantadine is removed from the body by the kidneys, patients with kidney disease will need to receive a lower dose of Amantadine.

Mental or emotional illness — higher doses of Amantadine may lead to confusion, hallucinations, and nightmares

Substance abuse (drug or alcohol abuse), history of—the chance of side effects from this medicine may be increased


Amantadine notes:
Amantadine, whose brand name Viregit, is an antiviral drug used to treat influenza (flu) infections (type A). Used in the treatment of Parkinsonism, the medicine is also used for drug-induced extra pyramidal reactions.
Being an antiviral, Amantadine prevents the release of viral nucleic acid into the host cells and thus fights effectively against influenza virus. The medicine, also an antidyskinetic, can be used alone or with other medicines for Parkinson's disease. It improves muscle control and reduces stiffness, and thus allows more normal movements of the body as the disease symptoms are reduced. Amantadine is also used to treat stiffness and shaking caused by certain medicines used to treat nervous, mental, and emotional conditions.
Before starting the course, ensure that you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to Amantadine and or other substances such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.
There are reports which claim the birth defects of the heart, when women took Amantadine during the first trimester of pregnancy. According to studies conducted on animals, Amantadine is harmful to the fetus. Since Amantadine passes into breast milk, the risks should be discussed with your doctor.
Though this medicine does not affect children, older adults are susceptible to Amantadine. Confusion, difficult urination, blurred vision, constipation, dry mouth, nose, and throat are certain symptoms that are likely to occur. In order to avoid any adverse interaction between two different medicines your healthcare professional should be intimated if you are taking the following: Appetite suppressants except Fenfluramine, Caffeine, Chlophedianol, Cocaine, medicine for asthma, cold, sinus problems or hay fever, Methylphenidate, Nabilone, Pemoline, Anticholinergics since the use of Amantadine with these medicines may increase undesirable effects.
If you develop any medical problems such as Eczema, Epilepsy or other seizure disorder, Heart disease, Kidney disease, Mental or emotional illness and Substance abuse, you should inform your doctor as it may affect the use of Amantadine.