title: Dopamine agonists.
abstract: Dopamine agonists provide an effective means of treating early, middle, and late stages of Parkinson's disease. This article outlines the advantages and disadvantages of dopamine agonists as compared with levodopa therapy. The features and costs of the four Food and Drug Administration-approved agonists (bromocriptine, pergolide, pramipexole, and ropinirole) and apomorphine, another agonist presently under investigation, are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455, USA.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tuite
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ebbitt
mesh_terms: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015259:Dopamine Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016527:Drug Costs; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D015259:Dopamine Agents; D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D007980:Levodopa