title: Anticholinergic withdrawal and benzhexol treatment in Parkinson's disease.
abstract: The effects of slow withdrawal of anticholinergic medication and addition of benzhexol (8 mg/day) have been studied in patients with Parkinson's disease on stable levodopa therapy. Withdrawal of anticholinergic drugs led to measurable and often severe deterioration in about two-thirds of patients. Addition of benzhexol produced a slight but definite additional improvement in those patients in whom anticholinergics were withdrawn before the trial. Anticholinergic drugs thus still have a part to play in the treatment of Parkinson's disease, for they produce benefit in addition to that provided by levodopa.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010276:Parasympatholytics / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010919:Placebos; D014282:Trihexyphenidyl / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D010276:Parasympatholytics; D010919:Placebos; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine; D014282:Trihexyphenidyl