Inhibiting Dopamine Metabolism

Drugs that inhibit dopamine metabolism, such as monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors and catechol-o-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitors, are newer agents and are used to prolong the effective duration of action of levodopa. For example, in patients experiencing problems with the ‘wearing-off’ phenomenon.

Long-term treatment of PD requires for each patient:

• A detailed knowledge of the disease process
• Relevant pharmacology
• Idiosyncratic features

For this reason, NICE recommends that all PD patients should be reviewed every 6 months [6].

Learning Bite

Levodopa, and all other currently used anti-parkinsonian medications, improve the motor symptoms only. They have no effect on the neuro-psychiatric and autonomic features.