effective delivery rate preferably from about 125 to about 600 thereof more preferably from about 150 to about 400 thereof over a ramp up delivery period of from about 8 to about 21 hours the final delivery rate may be achieved at some point before the end of the ramp up delivery period and this rate maintained substantially constant thereafter until the end of such period or the delivery rate may continue to increase throughout the ramp up period in which event the final delivery rate is achieved at the end of the ramp up period in accordance with a presently preferred embodiment of the invention the ramp up period as well as drug delivery is terminated by removing the patch from the patient 39 s skin as indicated above this is accomplished at a preselected time before bedtime and is followed substantially immediately or at least within about an hour or two by application of a new transdermal patch in accordance with the invention in accordance with another embodiment of the invention the treatment is accomplished by an oral delivery system the particular dosage form being selected from capsules caplets tablets and similar pharmaceutically acceptable oral dosage forms when an oral dosage form is employed the unit dose will be selected to deliver to the patient from about 2 5 to about 50 mg.