title: Long-acting carbidopa-levodopa in the management of moderate and advanced Parkinson's disease.
abstract: Parkinson's disease patients treated chronically with levodopa often develop fluctuations in motor response. Motor fluctuations can be attributed in part to oscillating plasma levodopa concentrations. A controlled-release formulation containing 200 mg of levodopa and 50 mg of carbidopa provides superior plasma levodopa profiles compared with the standard preparation. A multicenter, double-blind trial involving 202 patients with fluctuating motor response found controlled-release carbidopa-levodopa to be safe and tolerable, with improved efficacy compared with the standard formulation. Long-term exposure to the controlled-release formulation, at least for a period of 3 years, does not appear to be associated with any increase in the incidence of adverse side effects.
authors.affiliation: Parkinson's Disease Research Center, St. Mary of the Plains Hospital, Lubbock, Texas 79410.
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Hutton
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Morris
mesh_terms: D002230:Carbidopa / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D007980:Levodopa; D002230:Carbidopa