Prevention

Because doctors are not sure what causes Parkinson's disease, there is no way to prevent it.

Treatment

Medication

Although there is no cure for Parkinson's disease, its symptoms can be treated with several different types of medication. The first major decision faced by patients and their physicians is when to start treatment. When symptoms are not overly troublesome, medication may not be necessary, particularly since there is some evidence that early treatment can increase the chance of developing side effects and other complications later. Treatment usually is started when symptoms interfere with work or management of household affairs and other activities, or when difficulty with walking and balance becomes significant.

The medications used to treat Parkinson's disease either boost the levels of dopamine in the brain or mimic the effects of dopamine. The most commonly used drug therapy for Parkinson's disease is levodopa (Dopar, Larodopa), a medication that is converted to dopamine in the brain. Levodopa usually is prescribed in combination with carbidopa (Sinemet) to increase the amount of active drug reaching the brain while helping to limit side effects. Nearly all patients with Parkinson's disease improve after they start taking levodopa. However, long-term use of levodopa causes eventual side effects and complications in 75% of patients. Doctors commonly need to adjust the dose of levodopa and time intervals between doses so the person can continue taking the drug.

Several alternative medications can be used either alone or in combination with levodopa to treat Parkinson's disease symptoms. For mild symptoms in early Parkinson's disease, amantadine (Symmetrel) or anticholinergic medications, such as trihexyphenidyl (Artane, Trihexane, Trihexy) or benztropine (Cogentin), may be helpful. Amantadine promotes the release of stored dopamine inside the brain, but it may work only briefly in some patients. Anticholinergic medications are particularly effective against tremor, but they can cause side effects such as confusion and hallucinations, especially in elderly patients. In people with mild Parkinson's disease, selegiline (Carbex, Eldepryl) may be helpful when taken along with levodopa.