Proper Use

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

Take this medicine only as directed by your doctor, to help your condition as much as possible. Do not take more or less of it, and do not take it more or less often than your doctor ordered.

Take this medicine with or without food.

If you take this medicine and consume tyramine-rich foods, beverages, or dietary supplements or amines (from over-the-counter medicines), you could experience a hypertensive crisis or "cheese reaction". A hypertensive crisis (increase in blood pressure) is very serious and requires immediate medical attention. It is very important that you restrict dietary tyramine by avoiding the following tyramine-rich foods and beverages:

  • Aged cheese
  • Air dried, aged and fermented meats, sausages and salamis (eg, cacciatore, hard salami and mortadella)
  • Animal livers that are spoiled or improperly stored
  • Beers and tap beers, all varieties that have not been pasteurized so as to allow for ongoing fermentation
  • Broad bean pods (eg, fava bean pods)
  • Meat, poultry, or fish that is spoiled or stored improperly (eg, foods with changes in coloration, odor, or mold)
  • OTC supplements containing tyramine
  • Pickled herring
  • Red wine
  • Sauerkraut
  • Soybean products including soy sauce and tofu
  • Yeast extract, concentrated.

Dosing

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

  • For treatment of Parkinson's disease:
    • For oral dosage form (tablets):
      • For patients taking rasagiline alone:
        • Adults—1 milligram (mg) once a day.
        • Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
      • For patients taking rasagiline with levodopa:
        • Adults—At first, 0.5 milligram (mg) once a day. Your doctor may increase your dose as needed. However, the dose is usually not more than 1 mg per day.
        • Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose of this medicine, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Storage

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.