New Drug Approved for Parkinson's Disease

FDA recently approved a new drug to treat Parkinson's disease, called Azilect (rasagiline). Azilect is an MAO type-B inhibitor that blocks the breakdown of dopamine in the brain. Azilect was approved as a single therapy for treating early Parkinson's disease, and also in combination with levodopa in treating advanced cases. As with many other MAO inhibitors, patients taking Azilect must avoid foods rich in tyramine such as aged cheese and red wine, and also medications containing amines, including many cough and cold remedies. Combining Azilect with these substances can trigger a hypertensive crisis which could be fatal. Like most other medications for Parkinson's, Azilect can cause dyskinesias, hallucinations and hypotension. Azalect is contraindicated in combination with several other drugs, including dextromethorphan, meperidine and other analgesics. Melanoma has been diagnosed in a small number of patients treated with Azilect. Parkinson's disease itself appears to increase the risk of melanoma, so it's not known at present whether the drug further increases the risk. The manufacturer will perform a postmarket study to address this question. In the meantime, the product labeling will recommend that patients undergo periodic dermatologic examinations.