Parkinson’s disease: Treatments and drugs – MayoClinic.com

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Parkinson's disease can't be cured, but medications can help control your symptoms, often dramatically. In some later cases, surgery may be advised. Your doctor also may recommend lifestyle changes, especially ongoing aerobic exercise. In some cases physical therapy that focuses on balance and stretching also is important.

MedicationsMedications can help you manage problems with walking, movement and tremor by increasing your brain's supply of dopamine. However, dopamine can't be given directly, as it can't enter your brain.

You may have significant improvement of your symptoms after beginning Parkinson's disease treatment. Over time, however, the benefits of drugs frequently diminish or become less consistent, although symptoms usually can continue to be fairly well controlled.

Your doctor may prescribe medications, which may include:

Carbidopa-levodopa (Parcopa). Levodopa, the most effective Parkinson's disease medication, is a natural chemical that passes into your brain and is converted to dopamine. Levodopa is combined with carbidopa, which protects levodopa from premature conversion to dopamine outside your brain, which prevents nausea. In Europe, levodopa is combined with a similar substance, benserazide (Madopar). Side effects include nausea or a drop in blood pressure when standing (may result in faintness).

After years, as your disease progresses, the benefit from levodopa may become less stable, with a tendency to wax and wane ("wearing off"). Also, you may experience involuntary movements (dyskinesia) after taking higher doses of levodopa. Your doctor may lessen your dose or adjust the times of your doses to control these effects.

Dopamine agonists. Unlike levodopa, dopamine agonists don't change into dopamine. Instead, they mimic dopamine effects in your brain. They aren't as effective in treating your symptoms as levodopa. However, they last longer and may be used with levodopa to smooth the sometimes off and on effect of levodopa.

Dopamine agonists include pramipexole (Mirapex) and ropinirole (Requip). A short-acting injectable dopamine agonist, apomorphine (Apokyn), is used for quick relief.

The side effects of dopamine agonists are similar to carbidopa-levodopa, but also include hallucinations, swelling, sleepiness or compulsive behaviors such as hypersexuality, gambling and eating. If you're taking these medications and you start behaving in a way that's out of character for you, talk to your doctor.

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Parkinson's disease: Treatments and drugs - MayoClinic.com