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Parkinson’s Disease Medications

How is Parkinson's disease Treated?

At this time no treatment has been shown to slow or stop the progression of Parkinson's disease. Treatment is therefore symptomatic. There is no standard or "best" treatment for Parkinson's disease. A number of treatment approaches help patients with Parkinson's disease. These approaches include:

  • general lifestyle modifications (rest and exercise)
  • dietary considerations
  • physical therapy
  • speech therapy
  • medication therapy
  • surgical therapy

Medications for Parkinson's disease

A number of medications are available for treating the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Because individuals with Parkinson's disease experience various motor symptoms of differing severity, the optimal medication (and whether to treat with medication) varies between individuals. With time and progression of disease, the dose of medication(s) may need to be increased or new medications added.  

No drug has been shown with confidence to slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease (i.e., exert a ‘protective’ effect). In some cases a protective effect has been suggested but the evidence for benefit is incomplete and debatable.  Early symptomatic treatment has been advocated by some in the belief that it may support basal ganglia compensatory mechanisms and restore normal dopaminergic transmission (Schapira, 2009).

Type

Chemical Name

Brand Name

Levodopa

Carbidopa/Levodopa

Sinemet®

Sinemet CR®

Atamet®

Parcopa®

Catechol-O-methyl

transferase (COMT)

Inhibitors

Entacapone

Comtan®

Tolcapone

Tasmar®

Entacapone and Carbidopa/Levodopa

Stalevo®

Dopamine Agonists

Pramipexole

Mirapex®

Pramipexole ER

Mirapex ER®

Ropinirole

Requip®

Ropinirole XL

Requip XL®

Apomorphine

Apokyn®

Bromocriptine

Parlodel®

Monoamine Oxidase B

(MAO-B)  Inhibitors

Selegiline

Eldepryl®

Atapryl®

Carbex®

Zelapar®

Rasagiline

Azilect®

Other Medications:

 

 

Amantadine

Amantadine

Symmetrel®

Anticholinergics

Biperiden HCL

Akineton®

Benztropine mesylate

Cogentin®

Trihexyphenidyl

Artane®

 

References:

Bonuccelli U, et al. Role of dopamine agonists in the treatment of early Parkinson’s disease. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2009; 15: S44-53.

Fahn S et al. Levodopa and the progression of Parkinson’s disease, N Engl J Med. 2004; 351:2498-508.

Olanow CW, et al. Double-blind, placebo-controlled study of entacapone in levodopa-treated patients with stable Parkinson disease. Arch Neurol. 2004; 61:1563-68.

Olanow CW, et al. A double-blind, delayed-start trial of rasagiline in Parkinson’s disease. N Engl J Med. 2009; 361:1268-78.

Parkinson Study Group. Pramipexole vs levodopa as initial treatment for Parkinson disease: A randomized controlled trial. JAMA 2000; 284:1931-8.

Rascol O et al. A five-year study of the incidence of dyskinesia in patients with early Parkinson’s disese who were treated with ropinirole or levodopa. N Engl J Med. 2000; 342:1484-91.

Schapira A. Molecular and clinical pathways to neuroprotection of dopaminergic drugs in Parkinson’s disease. Neurology 2009; 72: S44-50.

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