NU 578 DRUGS FOR PARKINSON'S, CHAPTER 21
1. PARKINSON'S DISEASE (PD) <Ans> SLOWLY PROGRESSIVE NEURODEGENER-
ATIVE DISORDER, 2ND MOST COMMON DEGENERATIVE DISEASE OF THE
NEURONS (ALZHEIMER'S IS 1ST)
2. CARDINAL SYMPTOMS OF PD (MOTOR) <Ans> TREMORS, RIGIDITY, POSTURAL
INSATBILITY, SLOWED MOVEMENT
3. NON-MOTOR SYMTOMS OF PD <Ans> AUTONOMIC DISTURBANCES, SLEEP
DIS- TURBANCES, DEPRESSION, PSYCHOSIS, DEMENTIA
4. WHAT SYMPTOMS MIGHT SHOW UP YEARS BEFORE FUNCTIONAL IM-
PAIRMENT OF PD? <Ans> LOSS OF SMELL, EXCESSIVE SALIVATION, CLUMSINESS
OF HANDS, WORSENING HANDWRITING, BOTHERSOME TREMOR, SLOWER GAIT,
REDUCED VOICE VOLUME
5. WHEN DO SYMPTOMS OF PD APPEAR? <Ans> MIDDLE AGE WITH RELENTLESS
PROGRESSION
6. WHAT IS THE UNDERLYING CAUSE OF MOTOR SYMPTOMS? <Ans> LOSS OF
DOPAMINERGIC NEURONS IN THE SUBSTANTIA NIGRA
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, 7. WHAT IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE DRUG FOR PD? <Ans> LEVODOPA, GIVEN IN
COMBINATION WITH CARBIDOPA
8. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN NEURODEGENERATION PROGRESSES? <Ans> LEV-
ODOPA EVENTUALLY BECOMES INEFFECTIVE
9. STRIATUM, EXTRAPYRAMIDAL COMPONENT <Ans> PRIMARY SITE OF DISRUP-
TREION OF NEUROTRANSMISSION.
10. 2 NEUROTRANSMITTERS IN THE STRIATUM THAT ARE NEEDED FOR
PROPER FUNCTIONING <Ans> BALANCE OF DOPAMINE AND
ACETYLCHOLINE
11. WHAT CAUSES THE IMBALANCE IN DOPAMINE AND ACETYLCHOLINE IN THE
STRIATUM? <Ans> DEGENERATION OF THE NEURONS THAT SUPPLY THE
DOPAMINE
12. THERAPEUTIC GOAL OF MOTOR SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT <Ans> IMPROVE
THE PT'S ABILITY TO CARRY OUT ADLS (SINCE REVERSIBILITY AND HALTING OF
DEGENERATION ARE NOT POSSIBLE)
13. HOW ARE DRUGS CHOSEN FOR PT? <Ans> BY THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE
SYMPTOMS AFFECT WORK, WALKING, DRESSING, EATING, BATHING ETC.
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1. PARKINSON'S DISEASE (PD) <Ans> SLOWLY PROGRESSIVE NEURODEGENER-
ATIVE DISORDER, 2ND MOST COMMON DEGENERATIVE DISEASE OF THE
NEURONS (ALZHEIMER'S IS 1ST)
2. CARDINAL SYMPTOMS OF PD (MOTOR) <Ans> TREMORS, RIGIDITY, POSTURAL
INSATBILITY, SLOWED MOVEMENT
3. NON-MOTOR SYMTOMS OF PD <Ans> AUTONOMIC DISTURBANCES, SLEEP
DIS- TURBANCES, DEPRESSION, PSYCHOSIS, DEMENTIA
4. WHAT SYMPTOMS MIGHT SHOW UP YEARS BEFORE FUNCTIONAL IM-
PAIRMENT OF PD? <Ans> LOSS OF SMELL, EXCESSIVE SALIVATION, CLUMSINESS
OF HANDS, WORSENING HANDWRITING, BOTHERSOME TREMOR, SLOWER GAIT,
REDUCED VOICE VOLUME
5. WHEN DO SYMPTOMS OF PD APPEAR? <Ans> MIDDLE AGE WITH RELENTLESS
PROGRESSION
6. WHAT IS THE UNDERLYING CAUSE OF MOTOR SYMPTOMS? <Ans> LOSS OF
DOPAMINERGIC NEURONS IN THE SUBSTANTIA NIGRA
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, 7. WHAT IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE DRUG FOR PD? <Ans> LEVODOPA, GIVEN IN
COMBINATION WITH CARBIDOPA
8. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN NEURODEGENERATION PROGRESSES? <Ans> LEV-
ODOPA EVENTUALLY BECOMES INEFFECTIVE
9. STRIATUM, EXTRAPYRAMIDAL COMPONENT <Ans> PRIMARY SITE OF DISRUP-
TREION OF NEUROTRANSMISSION.
10. 2 NEUROTRANSMITTERS IN THE STRIATUM THAT ARE NEEDED FOR
PROPER FUNCTIONING <Ans> BALANCE OF DOPAMINE AND
ACETYLCHOLINE
11. WHAT CAUSES THE IMBALANCE IN DOPAMINE AND ACETYLCHOLINE IN THE
STRIATUM? <Ans> DEGENERATION OF THE NEURONS THAT SUPPLY THE
DOPAMINE
12. THERAPEUTIC GOAL OF MOTOR SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT <Ans> IMPROVE
THE PT'S ABILITY TO CARRY OUT ADLS (SINCE REVERSIBILITY AND HALTING OF
DEGENERATION ARE NOT POSSIBLE)
13. HOW ARE DRUGS CHOSEN FOR PT? <Ans> BY THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE
SYMPTOMS AFFECT WORK, WALKING, DRESSING, EATING, BATHING ETC.
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