Long-term treatment of Parkinson's disease with bromocriptine

Abstract

Bromocriptine (15-75 mg per day) alone or with L-dopa was studied during 5 to 29 mths on 44 patients with Parkinson's disease. Used as sole therapeutic agent, it was found excellent in 12 patients who had never received regular L-dopa treatment either because it was never attempted or because of intolerance from the outset. Its anti-Parkinsonism activity was comparable with L-dopa. The gain was stable in the long term until this report. The side effects of L-dopa were not seen after bromocriptine. In cases where L-dopa had ceased to be active, bromocriptine produced a further improvement if mental deterioration was not associated. In very advanced forms of Parkinson's disease with associated dementia, bromocriptine did not produce durable results. Bromocriptine did not improve the 'on-off' effects but reduced a number of the side effects of L-dopa, in particular cardiac, painful contractions, and dyskinesia without 'on-off' effects.