Drug therapy in the management of Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease affects mainly the elderly population and is characterized by tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity and postural abnormalities. As the disease progresses, drug therapy is inevitable and the strategies used aim to correct the imbalance of neurotransmitters in the CNS. Antimuscarinic drugs counteract the excessive effects of acetylcholine while levodopa, dopamine agonists, selegiline and amantadine supplement or enhance the effects of dopamine. Although initially effective, these therapies are not without problems which include tolerance and long-term effects. This article aims to augment the reader's knowledge of the disease and the drug therapies available, including their place in therapy and their potential side-effects.