title: New drugs for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.
abstract: Since the introduction of levodopa to treat Parkinson's disease (PD), several new therapies have been directed at improving symptom control, which can decline after a few years of levodopa therapy. Dopaminergic agents can serve as adjuncts or as alternatives to levodopa. In addition, a new class of drugs, catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibitors, can extend the duration of levodopa action. Although surgical options such as pallidotomy offer improvement of parkinsonism beyond the realm of pharmacologic treatment, judicious administration of drugs in combination can generally solve most problems of PD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: LeWitt
mesh_terms: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001577:Benzophenones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D052160:Benzothiazoles; D000077465:Cabergoline; D065098:Catechol O-Methyltransferase Inhibitors; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004873:Ergolines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007980:Levodopa / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009596:Nitrophenols; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000077487:Pramipexole; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077867:Tolcapone
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D001577:Benzophenones; D052160:Benzothiazoles; D065098:Catechol O-Methyltransferase Inhibitors; D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D004873:Ergolines; D007211:Indoles; D009596:Nitrophenols; D013844:Thiazoles; C046649:ropinirole; D007980:Levodopa; D000077487:Pramipexole; D000077867:Tolcapone; D000077465:Cabergoline