Neurológia pre prax 2/2015

Treatment of Parkinson’s disease with levodopa in continuous enteral infusion

Frequent complications seen in Parkinson´s disease patients receiving long-term oral levodopa treatment are motor fluctuations and dyskinesias. Continuous drug delivery, providing continuous dopaminergic stimulation, is crucial for achieving sufficient quality of life in advanced stage of disease. Patients who are not eligible for deep brain stimulation or subcutaneous infusion of apomorphin can be treated with enteral infusion of levodopa. In this review we summarizes basic information for neurologists, medical staff, patients and caregivers who have no or little experience with treatment of levodopa in continuous enteral infusion.

Keywords: Parkinson‘s disease, motor fluctuations, dyskinesias, continuous dopaminergic stimulation, enterally administered levodopa, Duodopa.