ABSTRACT
Dopaminergic agents are considered as first-line therapy for restless legs syndrome (RLS) according to practice guidelines of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (1) as well as the medical advisory board of the RLS foundation (2). Double-blind, placebo-controlled trials in patients with moderate to severe RLS have demonstrated the efficacy of levodopa (3-6), pergolide (7-10), pramipexole (11,12), ropinirole (13-18), and cabergoline (19). Other dopamine agonists are also under investigation. Dopaminergic therapy is well tolerated by most patients with RLS, particularly because the dosages that are prescribed are significantly lower than those typically used with Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients. The primary limitation for the long-term usage of dopaminergic therapy in the chronic illness of RLS is augmentation. This chapter reviews the efficacy, adverse events (AE), and longterm experience with various dopaminergic agents in patients with RLS.
