Treatment for Parkinson's disease

Since Parkinson's disease has been discovered and named, there have been many developments in treatment and there continues to be groundbreaking research done on the disease. At this stage, Parkinson's disease doesn't have a cure but it can be treated with medication and therapy. After Parkinson's disease is diagnosed, the patient must be evaluated to determine how advanced the disease is. Once the patient's physicians have a clear idea of where the patient is at physically they can individualize and start a treatment plan. 

Medicalrealm, Levodopa

Levodopa, a dopamine replacement therapy is one of the most popular and effective treatment drugs on the market for Parkinson's disease. It is especially effective in treating bradykinesia and is frequently combined with carbidopa to combat feelings of nausea and vomiting. However, there are disadvantages to taking Levodopa for prolonged periods of time. Many patients have reported feeling fluctuations in their symptoms after approximately five years of being treated with Ledova. These symptoms are sometimes referred to as Levodopa-induced dyskinesias and fortunately, are treatable. Usually, the three approaches that are taken to treat Levodopa-induced dyskinesias are, reducing the dosage of Levodopa, using medications to counter the effects of Levodopa and surgery.(Jankovic, & Aguilar, 2008)

While Levodopa and carbidopa continue to be some of the most popular Parkinson medications, there are many others that can be used in combination or by themselves to treat motor symptoms. Dopamine agonists, which mimic the effects of dopamine can be used to treat progressing symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Another drug treatment for Parkinson's is the use of Monoamine Oxidase B Inhibitors which protect the dopamine that remains in the brain and keeps it from being broken down after it is used. Anticholinergic Medications are also used in Parkinson's disease treatment which decrease the amount of acetylcholine in the brain and results in more balanced levels of dopamine. These drugs are often used to treat tremors and prevent drooling. Mild symptoms in early stage Parkinson's are sometimes treated with Amantadine which increases dopamine activity in the brain. (Fox Foundation, n.d.)

Other drugs that are commonly prescribed for Parkinson's patients are medications that treat other symptoms like, depression, sleep disturbances, fatigue, and psychosis. Parkinson's patients are also often diagnosed with dementia and mild to moderate cases can be treated to slow down memory loss. Another important treatment that is often prescribed for Parkinson patients is pain medication to combat joint stiffness and muscle pain from falls or accidents because of loss of coordination. The amount of medications used to treat Parkinson's disease can be overwhelming at first but when used correctly in conjunction with each other, they can make a world of difference for many Parkinson's patients.(PDF, 2017)

References:
Jankovic, J., & Aguilar, L. G. (2008). Current approaches to the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 4(4), 743–757.

Manage Your Medications. (2017). Retrieved April 04, 2017, from http://www.pdf.org/en/manage_meds

Parkinson's Disease Medication | Parkinson's Disease. (n.d.). Retrieved April 04, 2017, from https://www.michaeljfox.org/understanding-parkinsons/living-with-pd/topic.php?medication