Dopamine receptor agonists in the therapy of Parkinson's disease.

Forty years after its introduction by Birkmayer and Hornykiewicz (1961), L-DOPA-based therapy of Parkinson's disease remains the central pillar in the management of the disorder. Nevertheless, it is not unproblematic, and dopamine receptor agonists play increasingly important roles in antiparkinsonian therapy. Pharmacological and pharmacokinetic properties of these agents are briefly reviewed and followed by a detailed summary of available literature concerning controlled trials in Parkinson's disease. It is concluded that there is little unequivocal evidence to suggest that any of the major dopamine receptor agonists should be invariably preferred in the therapy of Parkinson's disease; their application must be based on the needs and responses of individual patients.