carbidopa/levodopa vs entacapone
Side-by-side comparison of carbidopa/levodopa and entacapone. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
moderate Known Drug Interaction
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS Drugs metabolized by COMT: use with caution ( 5.10 , 7.2 ) Anti-hypertensive agents: dose adjustment may be required ( 7.3 ) Tricyclic antidepressants: risk of hypertension and dyskinesia reported during concomitant use with carbidopa/levodopa ( 7.4 ) Dopamine D2 receptor antagonists, isoniazid, phenytoin, papaverine and iron salts: may reduce efficacy of carbidopa, levodopa and entacapone tablets ( 7.5 , 7.6 , 7.7 , 7.8 , 7.9 ) Drugs that interfere with biliary excretion, glucuronidation and intestinal beta-glucuronidase: dose adjustment of carbidopa, levodopa and...
Recommendation: Use this combination with caution as directed by your doctor. Your healthcare provider may need to adjust your dose to prevent side effects.
Sinemet
Comtan
This medicine contains carbidopa, levodopa, and entacapone. It is used to treat Parkinson's disease.
Entacapone is a medicine that helps people with Parkinson's disease. It is always used with levodopa and carbidopa to help reduce "wearing-off" symptoms.
This medicine treats Parkinson's disease. It can help when other medicines stop working as well near the end of a dose. It can also replace other medicines containing similar ingredients.
Entacapone is used to treat Parkinson's disease. It helps when your medicine (levodopa and carbidopa) starts to wear off before your next dose. This medicine is not for people with Parkinson's who do not have "wearing-off" symptoms.
Levodopa turns into dopamine in your brain, helping to control movement. Carbidopa helps levodopa get to your brain. Entacapone helps levodopa work longer.
Entacapone belongs to a class of drugs called COMT inhibitors. It works by blocking an enzyme called COMT, which breaks down levodopa in the body. By blocking COMT, entacapone helps levodopa work longer and more effectively.
- • Uncontrolled movements
- • Diarrhea
- • Nausea
- • Belly pain
- • Vomiting
- • Uncontrolled movements
- • Urine discoloration
- • Diarrhea
- • Nausea
- • Excessive movements
- Fall 4,293
- Seeing or hearing things that are not there 3,733
- Shaking 3,257
- Uncontrolled movements 2,903
- Death 2,727
- Uncontrolled movements 461
- Seeing or hearing things that are not there 459
- Falling down 443
- Death 318
- Parkinson's disease 274
This medicine can make you fall asleep suddenly, even when you feel awake. Be careful when driving or doing other activities where you need to be alert. Stopping this medicine suddenly can cause serious problems like fever and confusion.
If you suddenly stop taking entacapone or quickly lower the dose, your Parkinson's symptoms may get worse. This could also cause a high fever and confusion. If you stop taking entacapone, your doctor should watch you closely and adjust your other medicines as needed. It is best to slowly lower the dose before stopping completely.
This medicine may harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if this medicine passes into breast milk.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if entacapone will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking entacapone while breastfeeding.
How to Read This carbidopa/levodopa vs entacapone Comparison
carbidopa/levodopa is classified in the Dopamine Precursor Combination drug class, while entacapone sits within the COMT Inhibitor class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, carbidopa/levodopa has 16,913 submissions while entacapone has 1,955. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known moderate interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to entacapone is designed to block the enzyme that breaks down levodopa, which helps the medicine stay in your system longer. this can increase the effects of the levodopa on your brain and body.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between carbidopa/levodopa and entacapone - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.