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Cardiovascular effects of levodopa
Author(s) -
Goldberg Leon I.,
Whitsett Thomas L.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
clinical pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.941
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1532-6535
pISSN - 0009-9236
DOI - 10.1002/cpt1971122part2376
Subject(s) - medicine , irritability , orthostatic vital signs , levodopa , blood pressure , cardiology , anesthesia , disease , parkinson's disease , menopause
The patient with Parkinson's disease under treatment with levodopa may be subject to potentially hazardous cardiovascular effects. The most serious side effect of levodopa in patients is ventricular arrhythmia which is unlikely to occur in a subject with normal heart but a risk in patients with myocardial irritability or ischemia. Patients with such a history of ventricular ectopic activity should be treated with caution and monitored electrocardiographically. Levodopa dosage should be increased gradually; if ectopic activity is observed the drug should be discontinued or administered together with an antiarrhythmic agent, the most rational being β‐adrenergic blockers. If these are contraindicated, other antiarrhythmic agents may be successful. Orthostatic hypotension, more common and usually not symptomatic, should be monitored by frequent blood pressure measurements in the standing position, and exercise should be restricted.