[The current therapies for parkinson's disease. Part I: pharmacological treatment]

Neurol Neurochir Pol. 2003 May-Jun;37(3):665-76.
[Article in Polish]

Abstract

The following article presents current views on the possibility of pharmacological treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). Research conducted on drugs with potentially neuroprotective effects has changed the way we viewed the treatment of early stages of PD. Beginning treatment with the application of dopamine agonists decreases the risk of the occurrence of motor complications, particularly high with young individuals. The treatment of advanced stages of the disease currently requires the application of levodopa combined with other medicines, such as dopamine agonists or catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT) inhibitors. Selecting treatment options should be individualized for each patient; it should take into account the variability of the clinical picture dependent on the progression of the disease, and the possibility of the occurrence of undesirable adverse effects of the drugs prescribed.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antiparkinson Agents / classification*
  • Antiparkinson Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Parkinson Disease / drug therapy*

Substances

  • Antiparkinson Agents