Levodopa

Uses

Levodopa is used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease or shaking palsy.

How it Works

Levodopa works by improving muscle control. Levodopa is converted to dopamine, a chemical messenger which is needed to control the movement through transmission of signals in the brain. Therefore levodopa allows more normal movements of the body.

Common Side effects

Some of the potential side effects of Levodopa can include the symptoms below;

Nausea,
Vomiting,
Dizziness,
Loss of appetite,
Orthostatic hypotension,
Movement disorder

Carbidopa

Uses

Carbidopa is used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease and to relieve its symptoms

How it Works

Carbidopa is always given along with levodopa. Carbidopa works by preventing levodopa from being broken down into dopamine before it reaches the brain. This means more levodopa gets into the brain to be converted into dopamine.This allows for a lower dose of levodopa to be administered, which causes less nausea and vomiting.

Common Side effects

Some of the potential side effects of Carbidopa can include the symptoms below;

Nausea,
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome,
Panic attacks,
Altered behaviour,
Mood changes,
Fever,
Frequent dreams,
Hallucination,
Increased sweating,
Tachycardia,
Irregular heart rate,
Tremor,
Altered sleep,
Burning sensation of tongue,
Confusion,
Convulsion,
Dizziness,
Drowsiness,
Vomiting,
Worsening of tremor,
Muscle stiffness.

Introduction

Levodopa belongs to a class of medication called central nervous system agents. It gets converted to dopamine in the brain. Carbidopa belongs to a class of medication called decarboxylase inhibitors. It works by preventing levodopa from being broken down before it reaches the brain. This allows the effectiveness of a lower dose of levodopa thus causing less nausea and vomiting.

Administration of dopamine alone is ineffective in the treatment of Parkinson's disease because it gets broken down before crossing the blood-brain barrier.

Use

This medication is a combination of Levodopa and Carbidopa. It is used to treat the symptoms of Parkinson's disease and like symptoms that may develop after encephalitis, carbon monoxide poisoning, or manganese poisoning. The symptoms of Parkinson's disease include tremors (shaking), stiffness, and slow movement. This is caused by a lack of dopamine, a naturally occurring substance usually found in the brain.

Dosage and administration

The dosage is based on your medical condition and response to the treatment. Take this medication orally as directed by your doctor, usually 3 to 4 times a day. You can take it with or without food however, taking it with food may help decrease nausea.

It is advised to avoid a high-protein diet since it decreases the amount of levodopa the body takes in, unless instructed otherwise by the doctor. If you are taking any iron supplements, then separate taking them from the hours you take this medication since iron reduces the absorption of the drug in the body.

To reduce the chances of side effects, the doctor may start you off with a low dose of this medication and gradually increase the dose thereafter if deemed necessary. Use this medication regularly as prescribed to get the best results.

This medication comes in a combination of different strengths of carbidopa and levodopa. It is important to have the correct dose for both drugs.

Warning

Side effects