Continuous L-dopa infusion

Continuous dopaminergic stimulation (CDS) is the predominant pharmacotherapeutic strategy in Parkinson's disease (PD). Levodopa is the most effective anti-PD drug but CDS is not achievable with oral formulations due to the short elimination half-life of levodopa. In advanced PD, motor performance is strongly correlated to plasma concentrations of levodopa, thus stable plasma levels are required for optimal effect. Intravenous infusion is the most reliable route of administration, but it is impractical for long-term therapy. Enteral (duodenal/jejunal) infusion of a gel formulation of levodopa/carbidopa has been s…