Warnings for Crexont
Included as part of the PRECAUTIONS section.
Precautions for Crexont
Falling Asleep During Activities Of Daily Living And Somnolence
Patients treated with levodopa, a component of CREXONT, have reported falling asleep while engaged in activities of daily living, including the operation of motor vehicles, which sometimes resulted in accidents. Although many of these patients reported somnolence while on levodopa, some perceived that they had no warning signs, such as excessive drowsiness, and believed that they were alert immediately prior to the event (sleep attack). Some of these events have been reported more than 1 year after initiation of treatment.
Falling asleep while engaged in activities of daily living usually occurs in patients experiencing preexisting somnolence, although patients may not give such a history. For this reason, prescribers should reassess for drowsiness or sleepiness in CREXONT-treated patients, especially since some of the events occur well after the start of treatment. Prescribers should also be aware that patients may not acknowledge drowsiness or sleepiness until directly questioned about drowsiness or sleepiness during specific activities.
Before initiating treatment with CREXONT, advise patients of the potential to develop drowsiness and specifically ask about factors that may increase the risk for somnolence with CREXONT, such as concomitant sedating medications or the presence of a sleep disorder. Consider discontinuing CREXONT in patients who report significant daytime sleepiness or episodes of falling asleep during activities that require active participation (e.g., conversations, eating, etc.).
If a decision is made to continue CREXONT, patients should be advised not to drive and to avoid other potentially dangerous activities that might result in harm if the patients become somnolent. There is insufficient information to establish that dose reduction will eliminate episodes of falling asleep while engaged in activities of daily living.
Withdrawal-Emergent Hyperpyrexia And Confusion
A symptom complex that resembles neuroleptic malignant syndrome (characterized by elevated temperature, muscular rigidity, altered consciousness, and autonomic instability), with no other obvious etiology, has been reported in association with rapid dose reduction, withdrawal of, or changes in dopaminergic therapy. Avoid sudden discontinuation or rapid dose reduction in patients taking CREXONT. If the decision is made to discontinue CREXONT, the dose should be tapered to reduce the risk of hyperpyrexia and confusion [see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION].
Cardiovascular Ischemic Events
Cardiovascular ischemic events have occurred in patients taking CREXONT. In Study 1 [see Clinical Studies], 4/589 (0.7%) of CREXONT-treated patients experienced cardiovascular ischemic adverse reactions compared to 2/630 (0.3%) of oral immediate-release carbidopa-levodopa-treated patients. These patients all had a previous history of ischemic heart disease or risk factors for ischemic heart disease.
In patients with a history of myocardial infarction who have residual atrial, nodal, or ventricular arrhythmias, cardiac function should be monitored in an intensive cardiac care facility during the period of initial dosage adjustment.
Hallucinations/Psychosis
There is an increased risk for hallucinations in patients taking CREXONT. In Study 1, 17/589 (3%) of CREXONT-treated patients reported hallucinations compared to 2/630 (0.3%) of oral immediate-release carbidopa-levodopa-treated patients.
Hallucinations present shortly after the initiation of therapy and may be responsive to dose reduction in levodopa. Hallucinations may be accompanied by confusion, insomnia, and excessive dreaming. Abnormal thinking and behavior may present with one or more symptoms, including paranoid ideation, delusions, hallucinations, confusion, psychotic-like behavior, disorientation, aggressive behavior, agitation, and delirium.
Because of the risk of exacerbating psychosis, patients with a major psychotic disorder should not be treated with CREXONT. In addition, medications that antagonize the effects of dopamine used to treat psychosis may exacerbate the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and may decrease the effectiveness of CREXONT [see DRUG INTERACTIONS].
Impulse Control/Compulsive Behaviors
Case reports suggest that patients can experience intense urges to gamble, increased sexual urges, intense urges to spend money, binge eating, and/or other intense urges, and the inability to control these urges while taking one or more of the medications, including CREXONT, that increase central dopaminergic tone and that are generally used for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. In some cases, although not all, these urges were reported to have stopped when the dose was reduced or the medication was discontinued.
Because patients may not recognize these behaviors as abnormal, it is important for prescribers to specifically ask patients or their caregivers about the development of new or increased gambling urges, sexual urges, uncontrolled spending, or other urges while being treated with CREXONT. Consider a dose reduction or stopping the medication if a patient develops such urges while taking CREXONT.
Dyskinesia
CREXONT can cause dyskinesias that may require a dosage reduction of CREXONT or other medications used for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.
Peptic Ulcer Disease
Treatment with CREXONT may increase the possibility of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage in patients with a history of peptic ulcer.
Glaucoma
CREXONT may cause increased intraocular pressure in patients with glaucoma. Monitor intraocular pressure in patients with glaucoma after starting CREXONT.
Nonclinical Toxicology
Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment Of Fertility
Carcinogenesis
In rats, oral administration of carbidopa-levodopa for two years resulted in no evidence of carcinogenicity.
Mutagenesis
Carbidopa was mutagenic in the in vitro Ames test and in the in vitro mouse lymphoma tk assay but was negative in the in vivo mouse micronucleus assay.
Impairment Of Fertility
In reproduction studies, no effects on fertility were observed in rats receiving carbidopa-levodopa.
Use In Specific Populations
Pregnancy
Risk Summary
There are no adequate data on the developmental risk associated with the use of CREXONT (carbidopa and levodopa) in pregnant women. In animal studies, carbidopa-levodopa has been shown to be developmentally toxic (including teratogenic effects) at clinically relevant doses (see Data).
The estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in the indicated population is unknown. In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2% to 4% and 15% to 20%, respectively.
Data
Animal Data
When administered to pregnant rabbits throughout organogenesis, carbidopa-levodopa caused both visceral and skeletal malformation in fetuses at all doses and ratios of carbidopa-levodopa tested. No teratogenic effects were observed when carbidopa-levodopa was administered to pregnant mice throughout organogenesis.
There was a decrease in the number of live pups delivered by rats receiving carbidopa-levodopa during organogenesis.
Lactation
Risk Summary
CREXONT is a combination of carbidopa and levodopa.
Carbidopa
There are no adequate data on the presence of carbidopa in human milk, the effects on the breastfed infant, or the effects on milk production. Carbidopa is excreted in rat milk.
Levodopa
Levodopa has been detected in human milk after administration of carbidopa-levodopa. Levodopa decreases secretion of prolactin in humans, which may inhibit lactation. There are no adequate data on the effects of levodopa on the breastfed infant.
The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for CREXONT and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed infant from CREXONT or from the underlying maternal condition.
Pediatric Use
Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established.
Geriatric Use
There were 282 (45%) patients 65 to less than 74 years of age and 112 (18%) patients 75 years of age and older treated with CREXONT in an active-controlled study for Parkinson’s disease (Study 1) [see Clinical Studies]. There were no differences in safety outcomes between patients less than 65 years of age, 65 to less than 75 years of age, or 75 years and older.