Sleep and Parkinson's Disease

Intermittent Subcutaneous Injections of Apomorphine in Parkinson’s Disease

“…Another area of use of intermittent injections is the delayed levodopa effect (delayed “on”) seen in patients with PD from the middle-advanced stage. 14 The relationship of levodopa response with meals can be variable, which is partly due to the late and sale absorption of levodopa from the small intestines caused by gastroparesis, i.e., delayed gastric emptying when taken after a meal. This results in levodopa taking up to 1-1.2 to show its effects, and this delayed “on” period not only prolongs the “off” phase but also negatively affects daily life.…”

“…This results in levodopa taking up to 1-1.2 to show its effects, and this delayed “on” period not only prolongs the “off” phase but also negatively affects daily life. 14 A diet rich in protein causes this process to be further prolonged. 15 Patients are recommended to follow protein-poor diets and take the levodopa preparation on an empty stomach, but this is not well tolerated by some patients.…”