Switching and combining of dopamine agonists.

Dopamine agonists have been proved safe and effective as initial therapy in early stages of Parkinson's disease. Prospective long-term clinical trials demonstrated that initial symptomatic treatment with a dopamine agonist is associated with a significantly reduced risk for motor complications in comparison with levodopa therapy. Switching from one dopamine agonist to another has become a common clinical practice in the treatment of patients with Parkinson's disease. Moreover, the combination of two dopamine agonists seems to be an attractive alternative to delay initiation of levodopa therapy. This article explores some more motives for switching and combining of dopamine agonists in consideration of practical aspects and very recently published data.