title: [Apomorphine in the treatment of Parkinson disease].
abstract: In later stages of the disease, patients with Parkinson's disease treated with levodopa may become severely disabled by pronounced and sudden motor fluctuations called "the on-off syndrome". In spite of optimal individual adjustment of doses and combinations, orally administered antiparkinson drugs are often not able to eliminate the off-conditions which may last from minutes to hours and sometimes are accompanied by dystonic pain. Apomorphine, a potent dopamine receptor agonist, administered subcutaneously as single injections or continuously by means of a pump, quickly passes on to striatal dopamine receptors. With suitable individually adjusted doses, a rapid, and in some cases, more stable anti-parkinson effect may be achieved. Peripheral side-effects can be avoided by concomitant treatment with domperidone. Nine levodopa treated patients with Parkinson's disease and severe on-off syndrome received apomorphine. Seven experienced considerable and long-term improvement of the disabling symptoms, and some patients reduction of levodopa and/or bromocriptine doses. Treatment with apomorphine should only be considered in patients whose on-conditions are not accompanied by pronounced dyskinesias and/or impairment of balance or to patients suffering from severe dystonic pain.
authors.affiliation: Neurologisk afdeling, Arhus Kommunehospital.
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dupont
authors.forename: N B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Jensen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001058:Apomorphine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D001058:Apomorphine
vernacular_title: Apomorfin i behandlingen af Parkinson's sygdom.