Dopaminergic agonists in the treatment of Parkinson's disease: a review.

Dopaminergic agonists represent an important class of drugs in Parkinson's Disease, useful: a) in delaying the beginning of L-dopa therapy; b) in supporting it, reducing its dosage and widen the therapeutic window; c) moreover, as the disease advances, in trying to treat motor fluctuations. Authors describe briefly the problems caused by long term L-dopa therapy, and analyze, separately, the characteristics of the most important dopaminergic agonists currently utilized in the treatment of PD.