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Trimetazidine: risk of Parkinsonism

Cases of Parkinsonism have been attributed to trimetazidine. With no proof of the drug's effectiveness, there is no justification for running such a risk.

Although there is no evidence that it offers any benefits, trimetazidine is widely prescribed in France for vertigo, hearing disorders (tinnitus), visual disorders, and angina.

8 cases of Parkinsonism have been observed in Spain among patients taking trimetazidine. Tremors, stiffness, problems with walking, etc., appeared in patients after taking trimetazidine, and these symptoms stopped completely when the treatment was halted. These 8 cases were observed between 1998 and 2003 in the Spanish Basque country, where trimetazidine is prescribed to around 2,500 patients each month out of a population of 750,000. In France, several hundred thousand patients regularly take trimetazidine.

These adverse effects could have gone unnoticed for a long time because trimetazidine, a widely prescribed drug, is reputed to be harmless. And because disorders similar to Parkinsonism are frequent in the elderly, doctors might not link them to a particular drug. Trimetazidine should no longer be prescribed, given the absence of any therapeutic benefit and the risk of Parkinsonism.

©Prescrire January 2005

Source: "Syndrome parkinsonien réversible lié à la trimétazidine" Rev Prescrire 2005 ; 25 (257) : 26.

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