Characteristics of the start of dopamine replacement therapy for Parkinson’s disease at inpatients in Tîrgu Mureş

Written by Szatmári Szabolcs jr., Bajkó Zoltán, Szász József Attila

Treatment with dopamine replacement is considered being the most effective in Parkinson’s disease. Major limitations of dopamine replacement are given by motor and non motor complications. The peripheral decarboxylase inhibitors can only partially ameliorate the very unprofitable pharmacokinetical and pharmacodynamical effects induced by levodopa. The last decade provided a different approach considering therapy strategies in Parkinson’s disease, in the terms of introducing dopamine replacement treatment. Dopamine agonists administered in the initial phase defer the motor complications but are less effective than levodopa. Our aim was to monitor the aspects in the introduction of the dopamine therapy in Parkinson’s disease at the departments of neurology from Tîrgu Mureș between 2003–2014. We took in consideration the repartition by age group, the use of different levodopa products and average age in the moment of introduction, analyzed specially the data under the age of 65. The dopamine therapy was introduced in 75% in the moment of the diagnosis, on the other hand in 25% the treatment was deferred. Our results show that levodopa is still the first chosen product in Parkinson’s disease, in many cases with an early introduction. In conditions of a strict individualization of the therapy, it would be advisable, to delay the dopamine replacement, particularly under the age of 65.

 

Keywords: Parkinson’s disease, dopamine replacement, therapy


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