Glaxo SmithKline announced that its drug Requip (r) ropinirole HCL, has received FDA approval for Restless Drug Syndrome (RLS). Requip (r) is the first and only drug approved for moderate to severe RLS. Requip (r) is a dopamine agonist that stimulates the dopamine receptors in the brain. It is theorized that RLS is caused when the dopamine, which carries the signals between the nerves in the brain, starts functioning poorly. The dopamine receptor agonist is supposed to stimulate the dopamine receptors in the brain alleviating the sudden pain or overwhelmind desire to move caused in the legs of the patients suffering from RLS.
Requip has previously been approved for Parkinsons disease.
