Abstract

Apomorphine infusion or injection is an important dopamine agonist non-oral treatment usually used in advanced stage Parkinson’s disease with refractory motor fluctuations. Subcutaneous apomorphine is generally welltolerated, while adverse events are mostly mild and do not cause discontinuation of treatment. Apomorphine treatment is more effective with the support of a multidisciplinary approach, particularly during the initiation phase of apomorphine infusion and in subsequent follow-up visits. Effective and proper communication between
clinicians and patients is important to minimize the adverse effects of apomorphine treatment. In this article, we review the local and systemic adverse effects of apomorphine treatment during initiation, titration, and long-term follow-up visits and discuss the practical treatment strategies.