[Modern therapeutic possibilities in Parkinson disease]

Several new methods for the treatment of patients suffering from Parkinson's disease have been introduced during the last few years. COMT inhibitors are available in addition to levodopa with a decarboxylase inhibitor. COMT inhibitors enhance and prolong the effect of single levodopa doses. Severe side effects have been mentioned in connection with the COMT inhibitor tolcapone in recent months. Several new dopaminergic agonists now provide efficacious monotherapy in the early stages of the disease. This brings about a reduction in late problems of treatment such as dyskinesias and fluctuations. Stereotaxic operations in the pallidum and the subthalamic afford relief for these late complications of treatment in selected patients.