What is the Best Medication For Parkinson’s Disease?

In the recent few years, healthcare industry has witnessed many drastic revolutions associated with the treatment procedures and medications to cure the conditions of Parkinson’s disease patients. Scientists have come up with many new drugs and they got a better understanding of the ways to use traditional treatments. This leads to a huge difference in daily life of a large number of people suffering from parkinson’s disease symptoms. Most of the patients have received relief from their various Parkinson’s symptoms by taking the best medications, few of which are mentioned here.

What is the Best Medication For Parkinson's Disease?

What is the Best Medication For Parkinson’s Disease?

Sinemet- The Combination of Levodopa and Carbidopa

Levodopa is a common prescribed drug available for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. It serves the best to control a large number of symptoms associated with the condition and it especially reduces stiffness of the body and slow movements, along with various rigid parts present in the human body.

Levodopa performs its functions when the brain cells change it into the neurotransmitter of dopamine. It helps in sending signals to allow fast movement of your body. People dealing with Parkinson’s problem do not have adequate dopamine in the brain for controlling the body movements. Sinemet contains another drug named Carbidopa that allows for better functions of Levodopa. Carbidopa especially prevents a large number of side effects, which include vomiting, nausea and irregular heart rhythms.

Safinamide/Xadago

Safinamide/Xadago acts as an add-on medicine prescribed usually whenever parkinson’s disease patients taking Sinemet experience a breakthrough related to Parkinson’s symptoms, which remained within control in the past. Studies revealed that addition of this drug helps patients to experience longer times with no or less possible symptoms.

Dopamine Agonists

Dopamine Agonists drugs perform their functions in the same manner, as dopamine neurotransmitter in human brain. They incorporate ropinirole, rotigotine and pramipexole. You may opt to intake Dopamine Agonists’ category of drugs alone or in combination with Sinemet. A majority of doctors prescribes it first and later on, adds levodopa in case the symptoms fail to come under control. Unlike Levodopa therapy, dopamine agonists do not contain the risks related to long-term problems. Hence, they constitute the top preference of treatment associated with Parkinson’s disease.

Amantadine or Symmetrel

Amantadine or Symmetrel is helpful among patients dealing with mild type of Parkinson’s problem. It performs functions by simply increasing the dopamine level, which cells of human brain may use and thereby, allows only few Parkinson’s symptoms. Latest studies have highlighted that Symmetrel is helpful in easing the involuntary movements, which may take place with Levodopa therapy.

Benztropine and Trihexyphenidyl

Benztropine and Trihexyphenidyl drugs are responsible to restore balance in between two different brain chemicals i.e. acetylcholine and dopamine. In this way, drugs ease muscular stiffness and tremors in Parkinson’s disease patients.

Rasagiline and Selegiline

Rasagiline and Selegiline drugs block various chemicals present in the human brain, which are responsible for the breakdown of dopamine. In this way, such drugs help brain to get adequate amount of dopamine to work properly. A few evidences revealed that selegiline reduces the progression of symptoms present in Parkinson’s disease, especially during the initial stage. On the other side, further studies have revealed that Rasagiline is helpful in slowing the progression of the entire Parkinson’s problem.

Entacapone and Tolcapone

Whenever patients of Parkinson’s disease intake Levodopa drug, COMT chemical present in their bodies make specific part of the respective drug as useless. Here comes the role of Entacapone and Tolcapone, which block COMT to allow brain in using Levodopa medicine effectively and thereby, ease Parkinson’s symptoms.

Guidelines to Take These Medicines

Patients should essentially follow a few important guidelines to take medicines, as mentioned by their doctors.

  • You should never split the pills unless your doctor recommends doing so.
  • You should drink about 6 to 10 glass of water in one day.
  • Physical activities and warm baths help in fast digestion and absorption of the medicine.
  • You should take medicines exactly in the same manner, as your doctor prescribed you to do so, while you should never stop taking it on your own.

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Team PainAssist
Team PainAssist
Written, Edited or Reviewed By: Team PainAssist, Pain Assist Inc. This article does not provide medical advice. See disclaimer
Last Modified On:August 1, 2019

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