Apomorphine in the treatment of Parkinson's disease: a review

ABSTRACT Optimizing idiopathic Parkinson's disease treatment is a challenging, multifaceted and continuous process with direct impact on patients’ quality of life. The basic tenet of this task entails tailored therapy, allowing for optimal motor function with the fewest adverse effects. Apomorp...

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Main Authors: Renata Ramina Pessoa, Adriana Moro, Renato Puppi Munhoz, Hélio A.G. Teive, Andrew J. Lees
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Thieme Revinter Publicações
Series:Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria
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Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0004-282X2018001200840&lng=en&tlng=en
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author Renata Ramina Pessoa
Adriana Moro
Renato Puppi Munhoz
Hélio A.G. Teive
Andrew J. Lees
author_facet Renata Ramina Pessoa
Adriana Moro
Renato Puppi Munhoz
Hélio A.G. Teive
Andrew J. Lees
author_sort Renata Ramina Pessoa
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Optimizing idiopathic Parkinson's disease treatment is a challenging, multifaceted and continuous process with direct impact on patients’ quality of life. The basic tenet of this task entails tailored therapy, allowing for optimal motor function with the fewest adverse effects. Apomorphine, a dopamine agonist used as rescue therapy for patients with motor fluctuations, with potential positive effects on nonmotor symptoms, is the only antiparkinsonian agent whose capacity to control motor symptoms is comparable to that of levodopa. Subcutaneous administration, either as an intermittent injection or as continuous infusion, appears to be the most effective and tolerable route. This review summarizes the historical background, structure, mechanism of action, indications, contraindications and side effects, compares apomorphine infusion therapy with other treatments, such as oral therapy, deep brain stimulation and continuous enteral infusion of levodopa/carbidopa gel, and gives practical instructions on how to initiate treatment.
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publisher Thieme Revinter Publicações
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series Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria
spelling doaj-art-776b7c8dc28446bbb60995e719929a4c2025-08-20T02:07:09ZengThieme Revinter PublicaçõesArquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria1678-4227761284084810.1590/0004-282x20180140S0004-282X2018001200840Apomorphine in the treatment of Parkinson's disease: a reviewRenata Ramina PessoaAdriana MoroRenato Puppi MunhozHélio A.G. TeiveAndrew J. LeesABSTRACT Optimizing idiopathic Parkinson's disease treatment is a challenging, multifaceted and continuous process with direct impact on patients’ quality of life. The basic tenet of this task entails tailored therapy, allowing for optimal motor function with the fewest adverse effects. Apomorphine, a dopamine agonist used as rescue therapy for patients with motor fluctuations, with potential positive effects on nonmotor symptoms, is the only antiparkinsonian agent whose capacity to control motor symptoms is comparable to that of levodopa. Subcutaneous administration, either as an intermittent injection or as continuous infusion, appears to be the most effective and tolerable route. This review summarizes the historical background, structure, mechanism of action, indications, contraindications and side effects, compares apomorphine infusion therapy with other treatments, such as oral therapy, deep brain stimulation and continuous enteral infusion of levodopa/carbidopa gel, and gives practical instructions on how to initiate treatment.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0004-282X2018001200840&lng=en&tlng=enApomorphinedopaminer agentsParkinsons diseasereview
spellingShingle Renata Ramina Pessoa
Adriana Moro
Renato Puppi Munhoz
Hélio A.G. Teive
Andrew J. Lees
Apomorphine in the treatment of Parkinson's disease: a review
Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria
Apomorphine
dopaminer agents
Parkinsons disease
review
title Apomorphine in the treatment of Parkinson's disease: a review
title_full Apomorphine in the treatment of Parkinson's disease: a review
title_fullStr Apomorphine in the treatment of Parkinson's disease: a review
title_full_unstemmed Apomorphine in the treatment of Parkinson's disease: a review
title_short Apomorphine in the treatment of Parkinson's disease: a review
title_sort apomorphine in the treatment of parkinson s disease a review
topic Apomorphine
dopaminer agents
Parkinsons disease
review
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0004-282X2018001200840&lng=en&tlng=en
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AT renatopuppimunhoz apomorphineinthetreatmentofparkinsonsdiseaseareview
AT helioagteive apomorphineinthetreatmentofparkinsonsdiseaseareview
AT andrewjlees apomorphineinthetreatmentofparkinsonsdiseaseareview