Apomorphine (By injection)
a-poe-MOR-feen
Treats loss of muscle movement control from Parkinson disease.
Drug classes
Antiparkinsonian (About this – PubMed Health)
Uses
Uses of This Medicine
Apomorphine is used to treat Parkinson’s disease, sometimes referred to as “shaking palsy.” By improving muscle control and reducing stiffness, this medicine allows more normal movements of the body as the disease symptoms are reduced .
This medicine is available only with your doctor’s prescription .
Other uses (PubMed Health)
How To Use
Injectable
Your doctor will prescribe your exact dose and tell you how often it should be given. This medicine is given as a shot under your skin. Do not inject this medicine into a vein.
Read and follow the patient instructions that come with this medicine. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.
You may be taught how to give your medicine at home. Make sure you understand all instructions before giving yourself an injection. Do not use more medicine or use it more often than your doctor tells you to. Use a new needle each time you inject your medicine.
You will be shown the body areas where this shot can be given. Use a different body area each time you give yourself a shot. Keep track of where you give each shot to make sure you rotate body areas.
If you store this medicine at home, keep it at room temperature, away from heat and direct light.
Throw away used needles in a hard, closed container that the needles cannot poke through. Keep this container away from children and pets.
Ask your pharmacist, doctor, or health caregiver about the best way to dispose of any leftover medicine, containers, and other supplies. Throw away old medicine after the expiration date has passed.
Drugs and Foods to Avoid
Ask your doctor or pharmacist before using any other medicine, including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.
Do not take apomorphine together with ondansetron, granisetron, dolasetron, palonosetron, or alosetron.
Some medicines and foods can affect how apomorphine works. Tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following:
Blood pressure medicine, such as atenolol, hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), lisinopril, metoprolol Carbidopa/levodopa Fluoxetine Metoclopramide Nausea medicine, such as alosetron, ondansetron, dolasetron, palonosetron, or granisetronTell your doctor if you use anything else that makes you sleepy. Some examples are allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, and alcohol.
When Not To Use
This medicine is not right for everyone. Do not use it if you had an allergic reaction to apomorphine or to sulfites.
Warnings
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a history of heart, liver, or kidney disease, are allergic to sulfa medicines, or are being treated for a mental health problem.
This medicine may cause nausea and vomiting. Your doctor may give you another medicine to help control these side effects.
This medicine may make you dizzy or drowsy. Do not drive or do anything that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you. Stand up slowly from sitting or lying to help prevent dizziness.
This medicine may cause hallucinations (seeing or hearing something that does not exist), especially in older adults. If you have questions or concerns about this, talk with your doctor.
Do not stop using this medicine suddenly. Your doctor will need to slowly decrease your dose before you stop it completely.
Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve or if they get worse.
Keep all medicine out of the reach of children. Never share your medicine with anyone.
Possible side effects
Summary More details
Call your doctor right away if you notice any of these side effects:
Allergic reaction: Itching or hives, swelling in your face or hands, swelling or tingling in your mouth or throat, chest tightness, trouble breathing
Chest pain, fast or uneven heartbeat, or a very slow heartbeat (50 heartbeats or fewer a minute)
Dizziness or severe sleepiness
Fainting
Severe nausea or vomiting
Shortness of breath, swelling in your feet or lower legs
If you notice these less serious side effects, talk with your doctor:
Headache, or pain in your arms, legs, back, joints
Increased sweating
Redness, pain, or swelling where the shot is given
If you notice other side effects that you think are caused by this medicine, tell your doctor.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
More side effects of this drug
Brand names include
Apokyn
There may be other brand names for this medicine.