CARBIDOPA/ LEVODOPA CAP,SA
Clinical Criteria Summary
Exclusion Criteria
- Currently taking a nonselective monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor (e.g., phenelzine and tranylcypromine) or have recently (within 14 days) taken a nonselective MAO inhibitor
Inclusion Criteria
- Patient is under the care of a VA or VA Community Care neurologist or locally designated expert
- Clinical diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease (PD), post-encephalitic parkinsonism, or parkinsonism that may follow intoxication by carbon monoxide or manganese
- Motor fluctuations (“wearing off”) that require dosing of dopaminergic medications at intervals of every 4 hours or less
- Combination of carbidopa/levodopa controlled-release (CR) and immediate-release (IR) tablet formulations throughout the day have not adequately resolved OFF periods
- Contraindication, intolerance, or inadequate therapeutic response to at least one agent from two of the following classes: dopamine agonist, catechol-O methyl transferase [COMT] inhibitor, monoamine oxidase type B [MAO B] inhibitor