anitparkinsonian drugs Flashcards
what is parkinson’s disease?
-chronic, progressive, neurodegenerative disorder
-affects dopamine-producing neurons in the brain
-caused by an imbalance of dopamine or ACh
what are the symptoms of parkinson’s disease?
-bradykinesia
-tremor
-rigidity
-akinesia
-postural instability
what are the two types of dyskinesia?
-chorea and dystonia
what are the symptoms of chorea dyskinesia?
-irregular, spasmodic, involuntary movements of the limbs or facial muscles
what are the symptoms of dystonia dyskinesia?
-abnormal muscle tone leading to impaired or abnormal movements
can levodopa therapy cross the blood-brain barrier?
yes, but supplied dopamine cannot
how does bromocriptine work?
-works by activating presynaptic dopamine receptors to stimulate the production of more dopamine
-inhibits the production of hormone prolactin
what patients should you use caution towards when giving bromocriptine?
-patients with peripheral vascular disease
what are the adverse reactions of bromocriptine?
GI upset, dyskinesias, sleep disturbances
what drugs interact with bromocriptine?
-erythromycin and adrenergic drugs
explain why carbidopa is given with levodopa?
-carbidopa does not cross the blood-brain barrier and prevents levodopa breakdown in the periphery
-resulting in more levodopa crossing the barrier and being converted to dopamine
how long and when should you use levodopa therapy?
-in the early stages of PD, it no longer works as PD progresses
-5-10 years maximum depending on the progression
what are the adverse effects of levodopa?
-confusion, involuntary movements, GI distress, hypotension, cardiac dysrhythmias
what patients should you use caution towards when giving levodopa-carbidopa?
-patients with open-angle glaucoma
what case is a contraindication of levodopa-carbidopa therapy?
-cases of angle-closure glaucoma
