The levodopa wearing-off phenomenon in Parkinson’s disease: pharmacokinetic considerations
- 29 June 2006
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Informa Healthcare in Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy
- Vol. 7 (10), 1399-1407
- https://doi.org/10.1517/14656566.7.10.1399
Abstract
Levodopa is the most efficacious treatment in the management of Parkinson’s disease. Unfortunately, chronic use of traditional levodopa/dopa decarboxylase inhibitor formulations is associated with the development of complications, such as wearing-off and dyskinesia. In an attempt to avoid these complications, some physicians delay the introduction of levodopa or employ levodopa-sparing strategies; however, these strategies are frequently suboptimal for patients. As most patients require the superior efficacy of levodopa during the course of their disease, an appreciation of the changing response to levodopa over time and an understanding of the pharmacokinetic principles underlying the development of complications such as wearing-off is essential in the long-term management of the patient.Keywords
This publication has 63 references indexed in Scilit:
- The ‘magic’ of l-dopa: why is it the gold standard Parkinson's disease therapy?Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, 2005
- “Levodopa phobia”: A new iatrogenic cause of disability in Parkinson diseaseNeurology, 2005
- Levodopa and the Progression of Parkinson's DiseaseThe New England Journal of Medicine, 2004
- Levodopa in the treatment of Parkinson's disease: Current controversiesMovement Disorders, 2004
- Long‐duration effect and the postsynaptic compartment: Study using a dopamine agonist with a short half‐lifeMovement Disorders, 2001
- Dyskinesias and motor fluctuations in Parkinson's diseaseBrain, 2000
- Continuous dopamine-receptor stimulation in early Parkinson's diseaseTrends in Neurosciences, 2000
- Endothelin-1 in the brain of patients with galactosialidosis: Its abnormal increase and distribution patternAnnals of Neurology, 2000
- Levodopa therapy and survival in idiopathic Parkinson's diseaseNeurology, 1993
- Aromatic Amino Acids and Modification of ParkinsonismThe New England Journal of Medicine, 1967