What Is The New Infusion Therapy Treatment for Parkinson’s and How Does It Help Patients?
Living with Parkinson’s Disease has a serious impact on your well-being and quality of life, especially as the disease progresses and enters advanced stages. The development of a new portable drug infusion, called foslevodopa-foscarbidopa, will help with Parkinson’s symptom control, particularly for patients with Advanced Parkinson’s Disease (APD).
Foslevodopa-foscarbidopa is a continuous infusion therapy treatment that gradually releases Parkinson’s medication, resulting in greater symptom management. The treatment is administered via a small automatic pump that is worn 24 hours a day, providing a steady dose of medication to help manage movement-related symptoms.
Concerned that you or someone you know could be dealing with the effects of Parkinson’s Disease? Book a consultation today.
How Foslevodopa-Foscarbidopa Works, and Its Benefits
Foslevodopa-foscarbidopa works by releasing a combination of medications into the body, with the drug foslevodopa being turned into the chemical dopamine, which can better transmit messages between the brain and nerves that control movement.
This results in Parkinson’s patients whose symptoms are not well-controlled by oral medication having greater personal control over their condition and being able to manage their symptoms more effectively – making foslevodopa-foscarbidopa a life-changing option that could lead to a better quality of life.
Alternative Treatment Options For Advanced Parkinson’s Disease
Advanced Parkinson’s Disease (APD) is characterised by limited mobility and other symptoms that can make the condition very difficult to live with. It usually develops after you’ve been living with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) for around 10 years, but this varies, depending on the individual.
Dementech Neurosciences are at the forefront of PD assessment and treatment. We use cutting-edge CANTAB technology to assess the severity of cognitive deficits in patients with Parkinson’s Disease, so we can determine which treatment options will help them manage the condition best.
Other treatment options include physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech and language therapy, which can help relieve muscle stiffness, improve mobility, and maintain independence.
Medications such as levodopa, dopamine agonists, and monoamine oxidase-B inhibitors can also be used to improve symptoms, but may have side effects.
There is also the option to consider continuous stimulation of brain receptors using transdermal patches, pumps and continuous infusion therapies, like the breakthrough foslevodopa-foscarbidopa infusion delivery system that is now available.
Availability and Access
Foslevodopa-foscarbidopa infusion therapy treatment is now available on the NHS in England, with nearly 1,000 patients expected to benefit from it. This new method of deep brain stimulation has been approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and is recommended for patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease who experience severe motor fluctuations.
Patients should speak to their consultant or Parkinson’s nurse to see if the treatment is right for them.
Getting Started with Foslevodopa-Foscarbidopa
Foslevodopa-foscarbidopa is administered via a small automatic pump worn 24 hours a day, which can be changed once a day and the cannula every three days. Patients can also administer an additional dose when needed, offering greater personal control over their condition.
Next Steps and Future Developments
Foslevodopa-foscarbidopa will continue to be monitored by The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). We expect further research to be completed examining the effectiveness of the treatment for patients with advanced stage Parkinson’s disease.
This treatment is just one of many that Dementech’s specialists will consider when reviewing which approach is best for you or your loved one. We are delighted to be able to offer the most advanced and novel treatment strategies currently available to patients with Advanced Parkinson’s, under the supervision of our esteemed neurologist Professor Ray Chaudhuri. Speak to us today to start your Advanced Parkinson’s treatment journey with Dementech Neurosciences.