Diseases & Conditions
Older treatment may be best overall for treating new Parkinson's
For treating newly diagnosed Parkinson's disease, the drug that has been in use the longest offers a slight edge compared with newer medications, according to a head-to-head comparison study in The Lancet.
The "oldie but goodie" medications for treating the muscle rigidity and tremors caused by Parkinson's contain levodopa (Parcopa, Sinemet). But levodopa causes involuntary muscle tics, known as dyskinesia. Concern about dyskinesia drove development of alternative medications, such as dopamine agonists and monoamine oxidase B inhibitors (MAOBIs).
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