Piribedil: sleep attacks, also in patients without Parkinson's disease.

ABSTRACT

Piribedil is a dopamine agonist used in Parkinson's disease and a variety of other clinical situations although its efficacy has not been demonstrated. A study based on the French national pharmacovigilance database identified and analysed 7 reports of sleep attacks attributed to piribedil in patients without Parkinson's disease. The case reports are detailed and indicate that piribedil has a direct role in the onset of sleep attacks. To spare patients unnecessary exposure to the adverse effects of piribedil, it is better to avoid using piribedil and to choose drugs with demonstrated efficacy instead.