Carbidopa-levodopa is considered the “gold standard treatment” for Parkinson’s disease. - Emily Peron, PharmD and Dr. Leslie Cloud

Levodopa works to replace levels of dopamine in the brain, thereby alleviating  PD symptoms, while carbidopa works to reduce adverse effects of levodopa in the rest of the body. Although years have passed since the creation of this treatment, it is still commonly known to be an effective drug for reducing PD symptoms in a majority of people living with Parkinson’s. In this episode, Emily Peron, PharmD and Leslie Cloud, MD from Virginia Commonwealth University discuss how and why carbidopa-levodopa continues to be a standard treatment for PD, long-term use considerations, its different forms, and when to recognize the need for potential medication adjustments.