Clinical Terminology
Augmentation: A worsening or earlier onset of RLS symptoms that can be associated with a specific treatment.
Clinical Global Impressions (CGI) scale: The CGI is a standardized clinician-rated scale used to assess overall clinical improvement as well as any change in clinical condition due to treatment. The CGI has 4 subscales: severity, global improvement, therapeutic efficacy, and side effects.
Clinical Global Impressions–Improvement (CGI-I) scale: A subscale of the CGI that assesses overall clinical improvement. A patient is said to be a CGI-I responder if he or she is scored by the CGI-I as "very much improved" or "much improved."
Dopamine agonist: A class of drugs that directly stimulate dopamine receptors. There are 2 classes of dopamine agonists. The first are ergot-derived dopamine agonists that are created using ergot, a fungus in the genus Claviceps. The second are non–ergot–derived dopamine agonists that are chemically synthesized without ergot.
Dopamine receptor: A G–protein–coupled neuronal cell receptor that binds directly to the neurotransmitter dopamine. There are 5 subtypes of dopamine receptor currently known, numbered D1 to D5.
International Restless Legs Scale (IRLS): An internationally validated scale accepted as the standard measurement for the severity of RLS symptoms.
MIRAPEX tablets: A non-ergot dopamine agonist capable of binding the D2 and D3 subfamilies of dopamine receptors. Used as a treatment for Parkinson's disease, this orally administered drug has recently been approved for use in moderate-to-severe primary restless legs syndrome.
Primary RLS: Idiopathic RLS that occurs without any known cause and is not the result of comorbidity.
Rebound: A worsening of RLS symptoms that is related to the half-life of the treatment used. Often rebound will occur in the early morning hours as the dose of medication taken the night before wears off.
Restless legs syndrome (RLS): A sensorimotor disorder characterized by unpleasant sensations that occur primarily in the legs. These sensations lead to an overwhelming desire to move the affected limb in an effort to ease discomfort. The effects of RLS are associated with sleep disturbance, daytime exhaustion, and diminished quality of life. The essential criteria for RLS diagnosis are: an urge to move the legs, symptoms begin or worsen during periods of rest, symptoms are relieved by movement, and symptoms are worse in the evening or night.
Secondary RLS: RLS symptoms that occur due to a secondary condition such as pregnancy, anemia, or iron deficiency. Secondary RLS will usually go away once the underlying condition has been treated. MIRAPEX is not indicated for the treatment of secondary RLS.
Learn more about diagnosing and evaluating Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)
Learn more about diagnosing and evaluating Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)
Additional Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) resources are available here
Additional Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) resources are available here
Important Information about MIRAPEX: MIRAPEX is indicated for the treatment of moderate-to-severe primary Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS).
Patients have reported falling asleep without perceived warning signs during activities of daily living, including operation of a motor vehicle, which sometimes resulted in accidents. Hallucinations and postural (orthostatic) hypotension may occur. In clinical trials for RLS, the most commonly reported side effects of MIRAPEX that were more frequent than with placebo are nausea (16% vs. 5%), headache (16% vs. 15%), fatigue (9% vs. 7%) and somnolence (6% vs. 3%).
Patients and caregivers should be informed that impulse control disorders and compulsive behaviors have been reported in patients taking dopamine agonists, including MIRAPEX.
This information is intended for U.S. residents only. Products discussed herein may have different labeling in different countries.
Please see full Prescribing Information, including patient information.
