Parkinson's Disease - Levadopa (L-dopa)

Treatment

There is no cure for Parkinson’s disease but drugs, physical therapy, and surgical interventions can help control symptoms and improve quality of life. The goals of treatment for Parkinson's disease are to:

• Relieve disabilities
• Balance the problems of the disease with the side effects of the medications

Treatment is very individualized for this complicated condition. Patients must work closely with doctors and therapists throughout the course of the disease to customize a program suitable for their particular and changing needs. Patients should never change their medications without consulting their doctor, and they should never stop taking their medications abruptly.

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No treatment method has been proven to change the course of the disease. For early disease with little or no impairment, drug therapy may not be necessary.

A number of issues must be considered in choosing medication treatment. These include how effective a specific drug group is in treating symptoms, side effect profile, loss of effectiveness over time, and other considerations.

Treatments for Onset of Parkinson's Disease

The American Academy of Neurology recommends the following therapies for the initial treatment of Parkinson’s disease:

Levodopa (L-dopa). Levodopa, or L-dopa, has been used for years and is the gold standard for treating Parkinson's disease. L-dopa increases brain levels of dopamine. It is probably the most effective drug for controlling symptoms and is used in nearly all phases of the disease. The standard preparations (Sinemet, Atamet) combine levodopa with carbidopa, a drug that slows the breakdown of levodopa. Levodopa is better at improving motor problems than dopamine agonists but increases the risk of involuntary movements (dyskinesia). Effectiveness tends to decrease after 4 - 5 years of usage.

Dopamine Agonists. Dopamine agonist drugs mimic dopamine to stimulate the dopamine system in the brain. These drugs include pramipexole (Mirapex), ropinirole (Requip), and bromocriptine (Parlodel).