Tuesday, March 19, 2024

What Classes Of Drugs Are Used To Treat Parkinson’s Disease

Looking Out For Side Effects If You’re A Carer

Parkinson’s Disease Types of Common Drug Treatments Management: – Dr. Guruprasad Hosurkar

If youre a carer of someone with Parkinsons, medication side effects can be difficult and tiring to cope with.

It may be that the person having side effects such as hallucinations and delusions or impulsive and compulsive behaviour does not realise they are experiencing them.

Its important to seek help from your specialist as soon as you can.

Some Disadvantages Of Comt Inhibitors

These drugs can increase the side effects caused by levodopa, notably dyskinesias , nausea and vomiting.

If these side effects increase after starting the drug, people should raise the issue with their healthcare professional, as reducing the levodopa dose can often help.

COMT inhibtors will discolour urine making it a reddish-brown colour. Some people also experience diarrhoea which may occur some months after commencing the medication.

Be aware that other drugs for Parkinsons or other conditions can affect the action of COMT inhibitors. The combination of apomorphine and entacapone needs careful supervision.

Controlled Release Madopar And Sinemet

Controlled release preparations have the letters CR or HBS after the drug name.

These let the levodopa enter your body slowly instead of all at once. They can increase the time between doses.

They may be used when the dose of standard levodopa starts to wear off and the person taking it no longer feels the treatment is effective.

Controlled release options can sometimes reduce involuntary movements .

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Advantages Of Comt Inhibitors

Drugs used in the management of Parkinson

When used with levodopa, COMT inhibitors can reduce the daily off time and increase the on time.

In many cases, the dose and frequency of levodopa can also be reduced.

The terms on/off or motor fluctuations refer to the period when people can no longer rely on the smooth and even symptom control that their drugs once gave them.

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Before Taking This Medicine

You should not use Sinemet if you are allergic to carbidopa or levodopa, or if you have:

  • narrow-angle glaucoma.

Do not use Sinemet if you have used an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days. A dangerous drug interaction could occur. MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine, tranylcypromine, and others.

To make sure Sinemet is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:

  • a stomach or intestinal ulcer

  • open-angle glaucoma or

  • depression, mental illness, or psychosis.

People with Parkinson’s disease may have a higher risk of skin cancer . Talk to your doctor about this risk and what skin symptoms to watch for.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

The disintegrating tablet may contain phenylalanine. Tell your doctor if you have phenylketonuria .

Dealing With Side Effects Of Parkinsons Drugs

Its important to speak to your specialist or pharmacist if you notice anything unusual.

Changing or adding to your medication might help, and your specialist will be able to look into this.

For many people with advanced Parkinsons, medication may start to be reduced if side effects outweigh the benefits of taking medication.

But if some of the medication is reduced, you may find you get the benefits of the remaining ones, rather than the side effects.

If you experience side effects from your Parkinsons medication, you shouldnt stop taking it without guidance from your specialist.

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Treatment Of Neurobehavioral Features

Treatment of cognitive deficits associated with PD is as challenging as the treatment of Alzheimers disease and other dementias. While the general assumption has been that cognitive deficits are a feature of late-stage PD, clinically inapparent cognitive changes on neuropsychiatric testing may be found . With the introduction of cholinesterase inhibitors such as donepezil , rivastigmine , and galantamine and the NDMA antagonist memantine , it is possible that cognition, orientation and language function will improve, and that such improvement will lead to a meaningful improvement in function. Both donepezil and rivastigmine improve cognition to the same effect, but donepezil is better tolerated . The largest and best-designed study of rivastigmine in dementia associated with PD involved 541 patients enrolled in a 24-week randomized, multicenter, double-blind clinical trial . The patients had a relatively mild dementia , with onset of dementia about 2 years after onset of PD symptoms. The mean ADAS-cog score, the primary efficacy variable, improved by 2.1 points in the rivastigmine group, compared to 0.7 in the placebo group , and the MMSE improved by 0.8 in the rivastigmine group and worsened by 0.2 in the placebo group . At the end of the study, 55.5% were receiving 9 to 12 mg. The adverse effects that were significantly more frequent in the rivastigmine group were nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and tremor.

Impulsive And Compulsive Behavior

Medications for the Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease

Some people taking dopamine agonists may experience problems with impulsive or compulsive behaviours. For example an increased desire to gamble or engage in sexual activity. These behaviours often develop slowly so may not seem to be a problem immediately. It is important for both the person living with Parkinsons and their family to be aware of this side effect. If affected by this side effect, a reduction in dose or stopping the medication will stop the behaviour.

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Side Effects Of Medication

All prescribed medication can have potential side effects, including those used to treat Parkinsons.

Many people find their Parkinsons medication works very well when they start taking it, but this may change over time and side effects can develop.

Some things you think are symptoms of Parkinsons may actually be side effects of medication.

Some peoples side effects will have a big impact on their lives and have to be kept under control along with the symptoms.

Side Effects Of Levodopa:

Levodopa preparations are not without side effects. The most common include nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure, involuntary movements, and, at higher doses in the elderly and frail, confusion.

  • Nausea and vomiting can be a problem as the drug is being introduced. This is because the dose of carbidopa is not large enough to control these side effects. Ironically, the nausea and vomiting often get better as the levodopa/carbidopa dose is increased. The controlled-release preparation, Sinemet CRTM, is absorbed more slowly and far less likely to cause early side effects. Taking the drug with a light meal or snack can also help these side effects.
  • Involuntary movements writhing, jerking, or free flowing movements and nodding can occur. The rate at which dopamine “turns over” in a person’s brain cells may determine whether or not they will develop dyskinesia . Dyskinesia can only be controlled effectively by lowering the dose of levodopa or, in some severe cases, surgery.

    :2747-2754, 2004).

Other drug side effects include:

:888-899, 2004).

These can usually be improved with lower, more frequent doses of the drug, the use of a controlled release drug or with the addition of a dopamine agonist.

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What Should I Avoid While Taking Sinemet

Avoid driving or hazardous activity until you know how Sinemet will affect you. Your reactions could be impaired. Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy.

Avoid taking iron supplements or eating a diet that is high in protein . These things can make it harder for your body to digest and absorb carbidopa and levodopa. Talk with your doctor or dietitian about the best foods to eat while you are taking this medicine.

How Anticholinergics Are Used

Drugs Used in the Treatment of Parkinsons Disease ...

These medications are older and are not used very often for Parkinsons today. Sometimes they are prescribed for reducing tremor and muscle stiffness. They can be used on their own, especially in the early stages of your Parkinsons when symptoms are mild, before levodopa is prescribed.

Anticholinergics can also be used with levodopa or a glutamate antagonist. They are taken as tablets or as a liquid.

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Side Effects And Problems With Levodopa

In the early days of taking levodopa, you may feel sickness or nausea. In most people this will pass as your body adjusts to the medication.

Overtime as Parkinsons progresses the levodopa dose will need to be adjusted. Many people will become more aware that symptoms sometimes return between doses of medication. This is called wearing off and is a sign your dose needs to be adjusted.

As levodopa is absorbed through the gut, constipation or other stomach problems may impact on uptake of the medication. In some people who have had Parkinsons for sometime extra involuntary movements can occur. Your neurologist will be able to help adjust medications to minimise dyskinesia.

Other side effects may include:

Side effects of levodopa can sometimes be improved by changing your dose, the form of the drug or how often you take it. If this doesnt work, other types of drug may be combined with levodopa.

Speak to your GP or specialist about the right treatment for you.

Withdrawal Syndrome With Levodopa

Research has shown that withdrawal symptoms can happen when someone very suddenly stops taking levodopa, perhaps because they are experiencing impulsive and compulsive behaviour. It can lead to symptoms such as depression, anxiety and pain. Any withdrawal from Parkinsons medications needs to be done gradually, under the supervision of a health professional, to avoid the risk of developing this syndrome.

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Medications Used To Treat Parkinson’s Disease

Nice To Know:

A few important comments before describing the medications for Parkinson’s Disease

  • Drug therapy for Parkinson’s disease, and the choice of drugs used for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, should be a joint decision between the person with Parkinson’s disease and the physician, based on the severity of symptoms and their impact on quality of life.
  • It is emphasized that treatment for Parkinson’s disease should always be individually tailored for each person.
  • Never compare your treatment schedules with those of other people with Parkinson’s Disease. You are all different.

Properly selected medications with the correctly tailored dose form the mainstay of treatment of Parkinson’s Disease.

Drugs currently used to treat Parkinson’s Disease make movement easier and can prolong function for many years. Medications aim to replace or mimic the missing chemical dopamine in the brain.

The following are the medications used in the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease. Each will be considered below.

Some Disadvantages Of Mao

Medications for Parkinson’s disease – Parkinson Educational Symposium 2020

When selegiline is taken together with levodopa, side effects such as dyskinesias , hallunications or vivid dreaming may sometimes occur or worsen.

When people have taken rasagiline on its own , the most commonly reported side effects have been:

When taken with levodopa, the most common reports have been of uncontrolled movements and accidental falls.

Many of these side effects may be due to the increase in dopamine caused by rasagiline or selegiline. Your doctor or consultant can alter the dosage to correct these effects.

If youre taking some types of antidepressant, you might not be able to take MAO-B inhibitors, as these drugs can interact with each other to raise blood pressure to a dangerous level.

Your neurologist or pharmacist is the best person to advise on potential interactions with other medications.

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Side Effects And Problems Of Anticholinergics

Another reason these drugs are not a first choice for treating Parkinsons are their side effects. Some people may experience confusion, a dry mouth, constipation and blurred vision when taking anticholinergics.

Anticholinergics may interfere with levodopa absorption in the small bowel, which reduces the effectiveness of Madopar or Sinemet, forms of the drug levodopa.

Anticholinergics are not usually prescribed to older people with Parkinsons because there is an increased risk of memory loss and, in men, problems urinating.

Other Medications For Parkinsons Disease And How To Manage Medication

Medication is the main treatment for Parkinsons disease. It is used to try and increase the levels of dopamine in the brain or to mimic the action of dopamine on receptors in the brain. The two main types of drugs used levodopa and dopamine agonists All the other drugs are used occasionally alone but usually together with levodopa or a dopamine agonist. They reduce the breakdown either of levodopa in the general circulation before it reaches the brain, or of dopamine in the brain. However, they are only used with great caution because they have other possible effects in the body, some of which may be dangerous.

The MAO-B inhibitors delay the breakdown of dopamine so helping to reduce the end-of-dose deterioration for people who are taking a levodopa preparation. Selegiline may also be used on its own in the early stages of treatment when the body is still itself making reasonable amounts of dopamine. It is not recommended for use by people who have postural hypotension as it can make this worse. Andrew takes selegiline as part of a cocktail of drugs including levodopa a dopamine agonist , and another drug to counteract the hyperacidity which is a known side effect of selegiline. Penny was on ropinirole when she was prescribed rasagiline and she believes this helped to clear the fog in her brain.

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Neurosurgical Treatments Of Parkinsons Disease

It is beyond the scope of this manuscript to comprehensively review neurosurgical treatment of PD. Only a brief review will be provided here and the reader is referred to other published literature on for additional information about this important therapeutic strategy. The renewed interest in surgical treatment of movement disorders has been stimulated in part by improved understanding of the functional anatomy underlying motor control, as well as refinement of methods and techniques in neurosurgery, neurophysio logy, and neuroimaging .

Besides thalamotomy and pallidotomy, another promising surgical approach for the treatment of tremors and other movement disorders is high-frequency DBS via electrodes implanted in the VIM nucleus of the thalamus, GPi, STN or other subcortical nuclei. The mechanism of electrical stimulation is not known, but the following explanations have been offered: 1) disruption of the network , 2) depolarization block, 3) preferential activation of inhibitory neurons, and 4) a functional ablation by desynchronizing a tremorogenic pacemaker.

Levodopa: The Most Effective Drug For Treating Parkinsons

Regenerative Drugs for Parkinson

Levodopa, also known as L-DOPA, has long been, and continues to be, the most effective drug in treating Parkinsons disease symptoms. Most people with Parkinsons disease will take this drug at some point. There are side effects that can occur with Levodopa including nausea, fatigue and orthostatic hypotension. Often these side effects can be successfully treated so that Levodopa can be tolerated better. In addition, as the disease progresses and the brain has less ability to produce and process dopamine, dyskinesias, or involuntary movements can develop from Levodopa.

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Finding The Right Medication

Finding the right medication to treat your Parkinson’s symptoms is a process that takes time and effort from you and your doctor. Parkinson’s medications work in different ways. Many are pills that you swallow, but some can be given through skin patches or intestinal infusions. It can sometimes feel like “trial and error” to figure out the best medication, dose and schedule to treat your symptoms. Over time, as symptoms progress or complications arise, your doctor may adjust your medications. This might mean changing your dose or how often you take a drug, or adding or switching medications. Staying in tune with your symptoms and which are most bothersome, and keeping track of how well medication is or is not working can help direct adjustments to your treatment regimen.

Here we describe the different categories of Parkinson’s medications how they work, their potential benefits and common side effects. We also give examples and highlight therapies that have been approved in the last few years with an asterisk.

Side Effects And Problems With Dopamine Agonists

Common side effects of dopamine agonists include:

If you are taking Cabergoline , Pergolide or Bromocriptine your neurologist or GP will have to arrange a chest CT scan or ultrasound of your heart yearly as over time these medications may effect heart or lung tissue.

This precaution does not apply to the other dopamine agonists available in Australia.

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Why Is This Medication Prescribed

The combination of levodopa and carbidopa is used to treat the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and Parkinson’s-like symptoms that may develop after encephalitis or injury to the nervous system caused by carbon monoxide poisoning or manganese poisoning. Parkinson’s symptoms, including tremors , stiffness, and slowness of movement, are caused by a lack of dopamine, a natural substance usually found in the brain. Levodopa is in a class of medications called central nervous system agents. It works by being converted to dopamine in the brain. Carbidopa is in a class of medications called decarboxylase inhibitors. It works by preventing levodopa from being broken down before it reaches the brain. This allows for a lower dose of levodopa, which causes less nausea and vomiting.

Managing Medication Interactions And Side Effects

Q& A Session: Parkinson’s Medication Management for Motor Symptoms

All prescribed medications can have potential side effects, including those used to treat Parkinsons. Some things you think are symptoms of Parkinsons may actually be side effects of medication. Some peoples side effects will have a big impact on their lives and have to be kept under control along with the symptoms.

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