[Parkinson therapy 1985].

Abstract

The problems of long term treatment with antiparkinson drugs are numerous, involving increased involuntary movements, painful dystonic cramps, decrease or loss of therapeutic benefit, wearing-off, episodes of akinesia (on-off) and long periods of "freezing". Important side effects are also mental changes with heavy dreams, hallucinations, nocturnal confusional states and paranoid psychosis. As most of these side effects are dose-related, they are postponed and lessened by small daily doses of L-dopa and decarboxylase inhibitor. Frequent small doses may decrease the wearing-off effect but may cause unpredictable episodes of on-off. The addition of or partial replacement by bromocriptine may decrease fluctuations and dyskinesias in many patients. To reduce the side effects such as nausea, orthostatic hypotension and mental disturbances, daily doses of 15-30 mg should be built up very slowly. Painful dystonias are related to the off period and respond well to baclofen. For the treatment of severe psychic disturbances tranquilizers with little or no extrapyramidal side effects, such as clomethiazole, benzodiazepine derivatives and (if necessary) thioridazine, are recommended. Bromocriptine may also be useful in occasional cases which do not, or no longer, respond to L-dopa.

• Authors: H E Kaeser
• Journal: Schweizerische medizinische Wochenschrift (Schweiz Med Wochenschr) Vol. 116 Issue 24 Pg. 801-4 (Jun 14 1986) ISSN: 0036-7672 [Print] Switzerland
• Vernacular Title: Parkinson-Therapie 1985.
• PMID: 3726512 (Publication Type: English Abstract, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antiparkinson Agents

Topics

• Antiparkinson Agents (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Drug Tolerance
• Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced (etiology)
• Dystonia (chemically induced)
• Humans
• Hypotension, Orthostatic (chemically induced)
• Mental Processes (drug effects)
• Parkinson Disease (drug therapy)