Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
  1. Home
  2. Journals
  3. CNS Spectrums
  4. Volume 4
Journal Home
Refine listing

Refine listing

Access:
Publication date:

Actions for selected content:

Select all | Deselect all
  • View selected items
  • Export citations
  • Download PDF (zip)
  • Save to Kindle
  • Save to Dropbox
  • Save to Google Drive

Save Search

You can save your searches here and later view and run them again in "My saved searches".

Please provide a title, maximum of 40 characters.
Cancel
×
< Back to all issues

Volume 4 - March 1999

Contents

Page 1 of 11

Digest

Point & Commentary

Digest

Introduction

Digest

Research Article

  • Current Treatment for Restless Legs Syndrome

  • Arthur Walters, Wayne Hening, Richard Allen
  • Published online by Cambridge University Press:
    07 November 2014, pp. 1-7

  • Medication treatment for restless legs syndrome (RLS) began with the opioids, which were first introduced as treatment in the 17th century and are still used today. Then came the benzodiazepines, the first “modern” treatment for RLS. Today, Sinemet and the dopamine agonists are first-line treatments—their efficacy make them the most commonly used medications.

    The benzodiazepines are effective for mild cases of RLS, but are not typically used as a monotherapy and often necessitate combination with the opioids or a dopamine agonist. The opioids can be used in a number of clinical settings, and studies are being conducted to test their efficacy as a long-term monotherapy for certain patients.

    The advent of dopamine agents, particularly Sinemet, has revolutionized RLS treatments. Studies show 90–100% initial efficacy. However, continued use of Sinemet can produce augmentation of a patient's symptoms. To combat augmentation a dopamine agonist like Permax is typically introduced, which has a much lower incidence of augmentation, but which must be built up slowly to enhance tolerability. Two new dopamine agonists, Mirapex and Requip, demonstrate therapeutic benefits but are not efficacious enough to replace the tested agonists.

    While treatment of RLS has greatly improved over the history of the disorder, the search still continues for a single therapy that can effectively treat RLS patients over the long term without fear of augmentation and undesirable side effects.

Point & Commentary

Digest

Front matter

  • CNS volume 4 supplement 1 Cover and Front matter

  • Published online by Cambridge University Press:
    07 November 2014, pp. f1-f8
    • Article
      • You have access
    • PDF
    • Export citation

Point & Commentary

Publisher's Report

Point & Commentary

The Neurology of Behavior

Page 1 of 11