Antiparkinsonian drug Levokom: manual, reviews

Levokom is a medicinal preparation of a combined chemical composition, intended to relieve the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

Represents a highly effective bunch of levodopa and carbidopa.

Chemical Composition and Form of Release

The chemical composition of Levocome includes:

• levodopa 200 mg;
• carbidopa 50 mg.

The drug is produced in tablet form of 200 mg, one plate contains 30 tablets.

Mechanism of pharmacological action of

Levodopa has the property to freely penetrate the blood-brain barrier, and already in the substance of the brain to be transformed into the neurotransmitter dopamine, thereby replenishing the deficiency of its synthesis in parkinsonism.

Reduces the severity of symptomatic signs in Parkinsonism, reduces the severity of such symptoms as tremor of extremities, dysphagia, imbalance and orientation in space.

Formula of Levodopa

Carbidopa, which is a part of the drug, acts as a specific synthesizer for Levodopa. In its purest form, it partially penetrates the brain and is not transformed into dopamine, Cardidopa stimulates these processes and promotes the absorption of as much Levodopa as possible. The advantage of the combination drug is that it has a more pronounced therapeutic effect.

Drug is taken orally, it passes through the upper parts of the digestive canal and begins to be absorbed at the level of the small intestine. With the blood flow, the main active ingredients of Levodopa and Cardidop penetrate into the brain tissue. The substance is excreted from the body with urine by filtration in the kidney tissue. The process of removing the drug is carried out for 2 hours.

Indications and contraindications for use

The use of a medicinal substance is indicated for the elimination of symptomatic signs of the disease and Parkinson's syndrome.

The use of the drug is contraindicated when:

• is hypersensitive to the active substances of the drug or if there is an allergic reaction to them;
• elevated intracranial pressure or angle-closure glaucoma;
• concurrent admission with antihypertensive agents;
• in case of previous oncological pathologies and autoimmune diseases;
• during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Method of administration and dosage of

The initial therapeutic dose should not exceed 1500 mg. The drug is used in a dosage of 200 mg for 1 tablet 4 times a day.

The effect of the therapy occurs throughout the day after the first admission. Dosage is selected and adjusted to each patient individually, depending on the severity of the therapeutic effect.

Patients undergoing Levodopa replacement on Levokom, the initial therapeutic dose should be 100 mg 2 times a day after meals. To achieve the maximum effect, 100 mg every other day are added to the above dosage.

Scheme of taking into account the dose of active substance in one tablet in an amount of 200 mg:

• 1 day : 0.5 tablets morning and evening after meals;
• Day 2 : 0.5 tablets morning and evening after meals;
• Day 3 : 0.5 ballet in the morning, during lunch and in the evening;
• Day 4 : 0.5 ballet in the morning, during lunch and in the evening;
• Day 5 : 0.5 tablets 08.00,11.00,14.00 and 20.00.

The maximum daily dose should not exceed 8 tablets at a dose of 200 mg throughout the day.

Use in pregnancy

Use of the drug during pregnancy is contraindicated because of the high risk of seizures. Increased contractility of the muscle fibers leads to an increase in the tone of the myometrium, which provokes miscarriage or premature birth.

Laboratory studies have shown that a small concentration of the substance is contained in breast milk, that's why Levokom and simultaneously breastfeeding the baby is not recommended.

Symptoms and treatment of overdose

Symptomatic signs of an overdose Levocom include:

• convulsive contractions of muscle fibers;
• spasmodic contraction of the muscles of the pharynx;
• persistent increase in blood pressure;
• excited state;
• complete lack of appetite.

To provide immediate assistance to a patient with an overdose of the drug, it is necessary to ensure patency of the upper respiratory tract, rinse the stomach with cool water.

In the presence of cardiac arrhythmias, antiarrhythmic drugs are used. The patient must be taken to a neurological hospital.

ADVERSE REACTIONS

Side effects may occur in the first days after the start of the medication, this is due to the increased activity of dopamine in the central nervous system.

Adverse reactions are manifested in the form of impaired coordination of voluntary motor activity and clonic contraction of muscle fibers of skeletal muscles. This effect disappears during the treatment.

The secondary side effects include:

• impairment of motor activity by ekzrapiramid type;
• clonic convulsions;
• depressed mood;
• emotional overexcitation;
• decreased visual acuity;
• is a disorder of the nervous conduction of the heart;
• sharp decrease in body weight;
• peripheral puffiness of soft tissues.

Use with drugs of other groups

When using Levocome for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, its compatibility with other medicinal substances should be taken into account:

• antihypertensive drugs and antagonists of dopamine receptors inhibit the action of Levocome, prevent its active substance from being fully transformed into dopamine;
• can simultaneously be used with medicines for the anticholinergic mechanism of action of , in this combination they will complement each other's effect;
• with simultaneous admission with Metoclopramide the concentration of the drug in the blood plasma increases sharply, which requires an additional correction of the dosing of the latter;
• iron-containing preparations prevent normal absorption of Levodopa in the small intestine.

What effect will the use of alcohol in combination with synthetic analogues of dopamine to date not known.

From the practice of using

Reviews of professionals and patients who undergo treatment with Levok.

Purchase and analogues of

The price of Levokom drug in Russian pharmacies is 800-1200 rubles, the following analogues of the drug are also available for purchase:

• Stalevo;
• Nakom;
• Madopar;
• Levocarbhexal.

Store the medicine in a cool and inaccessible place for children.