How Can Parkinson's Disease Be Treated In An Elderly?

Posted on Tue, 21 Aug 2018

Question: My wife is 83 and showing advance signs of Parkinson disease; what can I do to help her and still
survive her behavior that antagonizes me so much?

signed Don at (707) 277-9167

Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (42 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
You can reduce the "culprit" drugs too.

Detailed Answer:

Hello and Welcome to ‘Ask A Doctor’ service. I have reviewed your query and here is my advice.

I have noted your wife's clinical details. Based on this, she is suffering from psychosis, which could be either due to advanced Parkinson's disease (PD) or due to adverse effects of Parkinson's medications. If she is on trihexiphenidyl, pramipexole, ropinirole or levodopa, it may be worthwhile reducing their doses. Doing so, would reduce the hallucinations, agitation and other psychotic features.

Quetiapine is a good drug for treating PD-psychosis, however, it may worsen the motor symptoms of PD. If available, you can use pimavanserin (nuplazid), which was recently approved by FDA for treating hallucinations and delusions in PD patients.

Hope I have answered your query.

Take care

Dr. Sudhir Kumar, Neurologist

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng