Parkinson's drugs
This page gives you an introduction to Parkinson's medication and information on which drugs are most commonly used to help manage the condition.
There is no cure yet for Parkinson’s, but there are many different drugs that can help manage the symptoms.
Choosing the right medication is always a decision you should make with a healthcare professional. You can show this information to your specialist, Parkinson’s nurse or pharmacist, and ask them questions about it.
You may also find it useful when you are talking about the next steps in your treatment.
How Parkinson’s drugs work
Dopamine is a chemical messenger made in your brain. The symptoms of Parkinson’s appear when dopamine levels become too low.
This is because many of the cells in your brain that produce dopamine have stopped working. Taking dopamine as a drug doesn’t work because it cannot cross the blood brain barrier. This is a barrier between your blood and brain that stops bad things like bacteria getting into your brain.
To get around this, doctors use Parkinson’s medication that works in different ways. You can read about how the different Parkinson’s medications work below.
Most drug treatments work by doing one or more of the following things:
- Increasing the amount of dopamine in the brain.
- Acting like dopamine by stimulating the parts of the brain where dopamine works.
- Blocking the action of enzymes that break down dopamine. Enzymes are proteins that make a chemical reaction happen.
Branded and generic drugs
Your specialist will decide whether to prescribe you branded or generic versions of your medication.
The active ingredient of a generic drug is always the same as the branded version and lots of people won’t have any problems using the generic medication.
In the UK, a generic or branded medicine needs a licence and there is a strict process for this. This means that the quality of a generic or branded version of the same medicine will be the same, and they will also act in the same way. The generic medicine must have the same amount of active ingredient as the branded product.
Once there are no longer any legal rights to the brand name, any company can make generic versions of a drug.
If you find that you react a bit differently to generic medication, talk to your specialist, Parkinson’s nurse or pharmacist.
It is useful to keep the packet your medication comes in. This will help you to remember what you are taking. You can also write down the name and strength of your medication and carry this list with you for when you need it. This will be particularly useful in an emergency as it will help medical professionals to understand what medication you take.
What treatment will I take and when?
When you’re diagnosed, your specialist will talk to you about your symptoms and how they affect you. You will make a joint decision about whether to start treatment straight away or wait until your symptoms cause you more problems.
If your symptoms are impacting your daily life, they may recommend you start medication. If you have very mild symptoms, you may agree to wait until symptoms become more difficult.
If your specialist decides to start you on treatment, they will give you specific times to take it which you should stick to.
You will be prescribed levodopa, a dopamine agonist or a MAO-B inhibitor. Most people are given levodopa to start with. But which medication you take depends on how much your symptoms affect you and other things like your age and your lifestyle.
Most people find they tolerate their treatment well. Your healthcare team will arrange a follow-up with you to see how your treatment is working. You will normally have a telephone or clinic review after 6 to 8 weeks. This is when your specialist or Parkinson’s nurse will:
- increase or decrease the doses
- change how often you take it
- add new drugs until your symptoms are as controlled as possible.
Before leaving the clinic you should get the contact details of your Parkinson’s nurse or the phone number of the clinic in case you have any problems with side effects.
Medication is specific to you
Everyone’s experience of Parkinson’s is different. So your specialist, Parkinson’s nurse or pharmacist will work with you to find the treatment that is best for you.
Finding the best drug, dose and timing won’t happen straight away. It may take some time to get this right. Your treatment will usually change as your Parkinson’s symptoms change over time.
Planning your medication routine is something that should be a joint decision between you and your healthcare professionals. If you are prescribed medication, make sure you ask about what you are taking, when to take it, and any side effects.
Your specialist, Parkinson’s nurse or pharmacist should explain things clearly and write down anything important.
Read more on specific Parkinson's drugs
Use the list below to find out more information on a particular drug.
How to pronounce Parkinson’s drugs
This video shows you how to pronounce the names of Parkinson’s drugs.
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Call our confidential helpline
Speak to one of our friendly expert advisers. We’ve got information and advice on all aspects of living with Parkinson's, including information on Parkinson's drugs and managing your medication.
Read magazine articles on Parkinson's drugs
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Some prescription or over-the counter drugs can react badly with Parkinson’s medication. Here we look at what to avoid and what to check with a health professional.
We find out more about why people with Parkinson's need to take medication and how different medication works.
Parkinson’s nurses Jennifer Dawber and Nicola Mason explain why your Parkinson's drugs may need adjusting as your symptoms change.