Newly-diagnosed Parkinson's disease: a therapeutic update.

For patients with newly-diagnosed Parkinson's disease, current research is pointing to new therapeutic approaches. Those that are now available allow the institution of levodopa to be delayed until there is some functional disability requiring treatment. Treating mild symptoms with anticholinergics and other agents may delay the use of levodopa for up to 3 years. And when finally required, levodopa may be used at lower doses when combined with carbidopa and a dopamine agonist. The monoamine oxidase type B inhibitor selegiline is also being used by many physicians to delay the onset of disability.