Use

Azilect treats symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Doctors may prescribe Azilect by itself or pair it with the Parkinson's drugs Sinemet or Madopar. Azilect enhances the longevity of the other medications.

Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease affects the brain's production of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which controls the communication between the brain cells responsible for motor control. Symptoms of Parkinson's disease reflect this impairment, and include severe muscle rigidity and tremors.

Function

The enzyme monoaomine oxidase type B (MAO-B) breaks down dopamine. Azilect slows the production of the enzyme, leaving dopamine levels higher for longer, thus stalling Parkinson's symptoms. If prescribed early enough in disease onset, Azilect can boost the levels of dopamine still in production.

Advantages

A study conducted by the University of Maryland School of Medicine focused on patients who had six hours a day where their medications failed to hold off symptoms. Azilect dosing subtracted an hour from that time.

Side Effects

Common side effects of taking Azilect on its own include headache, joint ache and depression. The most common side effects of concurrent dosing are falling and uncontrolled movement.

Source:

Parkinson's Disease Society: MAO-B inhibitors

University of Maryland Medical Center: Rasagiline