From the FDA Drug Label
Ropinirole tablets can decrease your blood pressure (hypotension), especially when you start taking ropinirole tablets or when your dose is changed. If you faint or feel dizzy, nauseated, or sweaty when you stand up from sitting or lying down (orthostatic hypotension), this may mean that your blood pressure is decreased Although the clinical trials were not designed to systematically monitor blood pressure, there were individual reported cases of orthostatic hypotension in early Parkinson’s disease (without L-dopa) in patients treated with ropinirole. In 12-week, placebo-controlled trials of patients with RLS, the adverse event orthostatic hypotension was reported by 4 of 496 patients (0.8%) treated with ropinirole compared with 2 of 500 patients (0. 4%) receiving placebo.
Yes, Requip (ropinirole) can cause hypotension, especially when starting the medication or increasing the dose. Patients should be monitored for signs and symptoms of orthostatic hypotension, especially during dose escalation. 1
From the Research
Ropinirole and Hypotension
- Ropinirole, also known as Requip, has been associated with hypotension in several studies 2, 3, 4, 5.
- A study published in Prescrire international in 2006 reported that ropinirole can cause hypotension, among other adverse effects, in patients with restless legs syndrome 2.
- A case study published in Cureus in 2021 reported a 71-year-old male patient who experienced orthostatic hypotension after taking ropinirole for restless leg syndrome, which led to a prescribing cascade 3.
- A study published in Parkinsonism & related disorders in 1998 found that ropinirole had a small but non-significant influence on blood pressure response and noradrenaline release in patients with Parkinson's disease 4.
- Another study published in Expert review of neurotherapeutics in 2004 listed orthostatic hypotension as one of the side effects of ropinirole therapy for Parkinson's disease 5.
Mechanism and Prevalence
- The exact mechanism of ropinirole-induced hypotension is not fully understood, but it may be related to its effects on noradrenaline release and blood pressure regulation 4.
- The prevalence of hypotension associated with ropinirole is not well established, but it is considered a potential side effect of the medication 2, 3, 5.
- Further studies are needed to determine the frequency and severity of hypotension associated with ropinirole, particularly in elderly patients and those with underlying medical conditions 3.