 |
 |
Rationale for use of dopamine agonists in PD: review of ergot derivatives. While dopamine agonists are still traditionally used as adjunct medications to improve performance and smooth out motor response complications in advanced levodopa-treated Parkinson's disease, they are increasingly used in monotherapy or early in combination with levodopa particularly in patients under 65 years of age. Long-term studies using bromocriptine showed efficacy in lowering the cumulative levodopa dose and reducing the early incidence of levodopa-related motor response complications. New dopamine agonists have recently shown efficacy as adjunct medications in short-term trials. While we now have more options to fit our individual patients' needs and tolerance, it is important to view the new agonists in the light of the results obtained with ergot derivatives. In this article, the rationale for use and efficacy profile of the ergolines are briefly reviewed. Can J Neurol Sci 1999 Aug;26 Suppl 2:S21-6 Blanchet PJ Faculty of Dentistry, Universite de Montreal, Quebec, Canada. PMID: 10451756, UI: 99381063 <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed/> janet paterson 52 now / 41 dx / 37 onset po box 171, almonte, ontario, canada, K0A 1A0 a new voice: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Village/6263/ [log in to unmask]