Prescription medication · Dopamine Agonist
ropinirole
Also sold as Requip. Ropinirole is used to treat Parkinson's disease.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 14,664
- FDA reportsModerately reported
- 3
- InteractionsFew interactions
- $0.04
- Generic price (NADAC)
What the data shows
ropinirole (Requip) is a prescription Dopamine Agonist, reported less often than most tracked drugs (14,664 FDA reports), with 3 documented drug interactions.
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
ropinirole (Requip) is a prescription Dopamine Agonist. Ropinirole is used to treat Parkinson's disease.
Ropinirole is a medicine that acts like dopamine in your brain. It is used to treat Parkinson's disease and restless legs syndrome.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$0.04/unit
Generic Available
Yes (11 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Ropinirole is used to treat Parkinson's disease.
Common side effects
Nausea, Sleepiness, Dizziness
Key warnings
Ropinirole can cause you to fall asleep suddenly, even during normal daily activities.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from ropinirole's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Ropinirole works by mimicking the effects of dopamine, a natural chemical in the brain. Dopamine helps control movement and coordination. By acting like dopamine, ropinirole can help reduce the symptoms of Parkinson's disease and RLS.
How to Take It
You can take ropinirole with or without food. If you stop taking ropinirole for a period of time, you may need to start the medicine again at a lower dose. For Parkinson's, the usual starting dose is 0.25 mg three times a day. For RLS, the usual starting dose is 0.25 mg once a day, 1 to 3 hours before bedtime.
This is a plain-language summary of ropinirole's FDA labeling, not individualized dosing advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before changing how you take this medication.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Ropinirole may harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if ropinirole passes into breast milk, but it may reduce milk production.
This is a plain-language summary of ropinirole's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber about pregnancy or breastfeeding on this medication.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule.
This is a plain-language summary of ropinirole's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber what to do about your specific missed dose.
Storage
Store ropinirole at room temperature, away from light and moisture. Keep the container tightly closed.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 14,664 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for ropinirole, by number of reports
- Falling down
Falling down
1,004 reports
- Feeling tired
Feeling tired
920 reports
- Feeling sick to your stomach
Feeling sick to your stomach
852 reports
- Feeling lightheaded or unsteady
Feeling lightheaded or unsteady
721 reports
- Seeing or hearing things that are not there
Seeing or hearing things that are not there
711 reports
- Aching or soreness
Aching or soreness
630 reports
- The person died
The person died
623 reports
- Loose or watery stools
Loose or watery stools
602 reports
- Difficulty breathing
Difficulty breathing
591 reports
- Weakness or lack of energy
Weakness or lack of energy
568 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for ropinirole each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where ropinirole sits
ropinirole has more FDA adverse-event reports than 48% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is ropinirole; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 14,664 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2004–2025.
Total Reports
14,664
Reports Mentioning Death
1,369
9.3% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
4,485
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | FALL | 1,004 |
| 3 | FATIGUE | 920 |
| 4 | NAUSEA | 852 |
| 5 | DIZZINESS | 721 |
| 6 | HALLUCINATION | 711 |
| 7 | PAIN | 630 |
| 8 | DEATH | 623 |
| 9 | DIARRHOEA | 602 |
| 10 | DYSPNOEA | 591 |
| 11 | ASTHENIA | 567 |
| 13 | INSOMNIA | 537 |
| 14 | HEADACHE | 528 |
| 15 | GAIT DISTURBANCE | 512 |
| 16 | SOMNOLENCE | 504 |
| 17 | DYSKINESIA | 494 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
Ropinirole can cause you to fall asleep suddenly, even during normal daily activities. Some people have fainted while taking ropinirole. Ropinirole can lower your blood pressure, especially when you stand up. It may also cause hallucinations or unusual behaviors. Some people taking ropinirole have reported problems with impulse control, such as gambling or overeating.
Known Drug Interactions
Coadministration of ciprofloxacin, an inhibitor of CYP1A2, increases the AUC and C max of ropinirole [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].
Mechanism: Ciprofloxacin blocks the liver enzyme that normally clears ropinirole from your body, which can lead to higher levels of the drug in your blood.
What to do: Your doctor may need to adjust your ropinirole dose to prevent side effects while you take this antibiotic.
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS · Inhibitors or inducers of CYP1A2: May alter the clearance of ropinirole tablets; dose adjustment of ropinirole tablets may be required (7.1, 12.3) · Hormone replacement therapy(HRT): Starting or stopping HRT may require dose adjustment of ropinirole tablets (7.2, 12.3) · Dopamine antagonists (e.g., neuroleptics, metoclopramide): May reduce efficacy of ropinirole tablets (7.3) 7.1 Cytochrome P450 1A2 Inhibitors and Inducers In vitro metabolism studies showed that CYP1A2 is the major enzyme responsible for the metabolism of ropinirole. 7.3 Dopamine Antagonists Because...
Mechanism: These drugs have opposite effects on dopamine in the brain, which can stop ropinirole from working properly.
What to do: Avoid using these medicines together because they can cancel each other out and reduce the benefit of your treatment.
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS · Inhibitors or inducers of CYP1A2: May alter the clearance of ropinirole tablets; dose adjustment of ropinirole tablets may be required (7.1, 12.3) · Hormone replacement therapy(HRT): Starting or stopping HRT may require dose adjustment of ropinirole tablets (7.2, 12.3) · Dopamine antagonists (e.g., neuroleptics, metoclopramide): May reduce efficacy of ropinirole tablets (7.3) 7.1 Cytochrome P450 1A2 Inhibitors and Inducers In vitro metabolism studies showed that CYP1A2 is the major enzyme responsible for the metabolism of ropinirole. 7.3 Dopamine Antagonists Because...
Mechanism: Metoclopramide blocks the brain receptors that ropinirole needs to activate, making the treatment less effective.
What to do: Consult your healthcare provider before using these together, as this combination may prevent ropinirole from helping your symptoms.
This is a plain-language summary of interactions documented in FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before combining medications.
Common Questions
Can I drive while taking ropinirole?
What should I do if I feel dizzy?
Can I drink alcohol while taking ropinirole?
How long does it take for ropinirole to work?
Can I stop taking ropinirole suddenly?
Does ropinirole interact with other medications?
What if I have kidney problems?
Can ropinirole cause weight gain?
Is ropinirole addictive?
What should I do if I experience hallucinations?
What are the common side effects of ropinirole?
Does ropinirole interact with other medications?
What drug class is ropinirole?
Is ropinirole safe during pregnancy?
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Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
How CYP450 enzymes, inhibitors, and inducers affect your medications
Generic vs Brand Name Drugs
FDA requirements, cost savings, and when the difference matters
Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
Why some drugs demand precise dosing and monitoring
Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
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What the FDA Data Shows for ropinirole
The FDA label for ropinirole (sold under brand names such as Requip) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Dopamine Agonist class. Ropinirole is used to treat Parkinson's disease. Official labeling lists 14 commonly reported side effects, including Nausea, Sleepiness, Dizziness.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 14,664 voluntary reports. The database also lists 3 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated minor severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.04.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: October 7, 2024
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled and last refreshed May 2026. See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a correction.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages