[Possibilities using prolonged release dopamine receptor agonists in elderly and old age].

Treatment efficacy of Parkinson's disease has been essentially improved due to the introduction of dopamine receptors agonists to clinical practice. However, these drugs are not recommended to patients over 70 years because of the high probability of side-effects that significantly reduce therapeutic opportunities in elderly patients. It is known, that many dopaminergic side-effects are due to unstable and high peak concentrations of drugs. Application of prolonged forms of dopamine receptors agonists, and careful selection of elderly patients, allows to use these drugs as safely, as in patients of middle age. This fact has been proved by several clinical trials. Criteria for selection of elderly patients for treatment with dopamine receptors agonists are: the absence of severe cognitive disturbances, REM-sleep behavioral disorders, orthostatic hypotension, frequent falling and decompensated somatic diseases.