LEVODOPA/CARBIDOPA/ENTACAPONE COMBINATION THERAPY

Course overview

LEVODOPA/CARBIDOPA/ENTACAPONE (LCE) IS A TYPE OF MEDICATION THAT IS USED AS A COMBINATION THERAPY TO ADDRESS PARKINSON DISEASE IN PATIENTS EXHIBITING SYMPTOMS OF MOTOR FLUCTUATIONS AND SIGNS OF WEARING OFF WHILE ON LEVODOPA/CARBIDOPA. THE DRUG WAS APPROVED BY THE U.S. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA) IN JUNE 2003. PARKINSON DISEASE IS THE SECOND MOST COMMON NEURODEGENERATIVE DISORDER WORLDWIDE. THE DEGENERATION OF THE NIGROSTRIATAL SYSTEM IN PATIENTS WITH PARKINSON DISEASE LEADS TO A DIMINISHED SYNTHESIS OF THE NEUROTRANSMITTER DOPAMINE. LCE FALLS UNDER THE CATEGORY OF DOPAMINE REPLACEMENT THERAPY AND COMPRISES 3 COMMONLY USED INGREDIENTS FOR PARKINSON DISEASE—A DOPAMINE PRECURSOR (LEVODOPA), AN AROMATIC L-AMINO ACID DECARBOXYLASE (AADC) INHIBITOR (CARBIDOPA), AND A CATECHOL-O-METHYLTRANSFERASE (COMT) INHIBITOR (ENTACAPONE). THIS TRIPLE COMBINATION TREATMENT ENABLES ENHANCED AND MORE CONSISTENT BIOAVAILABILITY OF LEVODOPA IN THE BRAIN, LEADING TO IMPROVED ON-TIME OR SYMPTOM-FREE PERIODS FOR PATIENTS. THIS ACTIVITY PREDOMINANTLY FOCUSES ON THE INDICATIONS, MECHANISM OF ACTION, ADMINISTRATION, ADVERSE EVENTS, MONITORING, AND CONTRAINDICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH LCE USE. THIS ACTIVITY ALSO HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL HEALTHCARE TEAM IN DELIVERING OPTIMAL CARE FOR PATIENTS DEALING WITH PARKINSON DISEASE AND ITS RELATED COMPLEXITIES THROUGH THE JUDICIOUS USE OF LCE.