Side Effects
Common side effects of pramipexole may include:
- Headache
- Hyperalgesia (body aches and pains)
- Nausea and vomiting
- Sedation and somnolence
- Decreased appetite and subsequent weight loss
- Orthostatic hypotension (resulting in dizziness, lightheadedness, and possibly fainting, especially when standing up)
- Insomnia
- Hallucinations (seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting or feeling things that are not there)
- Twitching, twisting, or other unusual body movements
- Unusual tiredness or weakness
Several unusual adverse effects of pramipexole (and related D3-preferring dopamine agonist medications such as ropinirole) may include compulsive gambling, hypersexuality, and overeating, even in patients without any prior history of these behaviours. These behaviors have been reported to manifest in almost 14% of patients on DA agonist therapies. Other compulsive behaviors such as excessive shopping have been reported. L-DOPA is an indirect acting DA agonist with no specificity for any receptor subtypes. As it is the precursor for dopamine it is rarely associated with these disorders. These side effects are thought to be linked to the D3 activity of pramipexole, as D3 receptors are heavily expressed in brain regions involved in mood, behavior, and reward.
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