Idiopathic PD Flashcards
(92 cards)
What is Parkinson’s Disease/ paralysis agitans/ shaking palsy?
- idiopathic
- degenerative
- CNS disorder
What are the 4 characteristic features of PD?
- Slowness and poverty of movement
- Muscular rigidity
- Resting tremor
- Postural instability
What are the 3 cardinal signs that are used for diagnosis of PD?
- Tremor: resting tremor (disappears with movement), inc w stress
- Rigidity: “ratchet”-like stiffness (cogwheel rigidity); also leadpipe rigidity
- Akinesia/bradykinesia: subjective sense of weakness, loss of dexterity, difficulty using kitchen tools, loss of facial expression, reduced blinking, difficulty getting out of bed/chair, difficulty turning while walking
How many cardinal signs must be present to confirm diagnosis of PD?
2 out of 3
Which cardinal sign is not a diagnostic feature?
Postural instability
What are the features at initial presentation of Idiopathic PD?
- Asymmetric
- +VE response to levodopa / apomorphine
- Postural instability (& falls) - not present
- Less rapid progression (rapid is H&Y of 3 in 3 years)
- Autonomic dysfn - not present
- Impaired olfaction (?)
- Neuroimaging ??
What are some morbidity factors caused by Idiopathic PD?
- Unable to perform basic ADLs (or perform them safely)
~ mobility, feeding self, grooming, personal hygiene, toileting, showering/bathing, continence (bowel and bladder) - Dysphagia (leads to pneumonia)
- Falls due to instability (not able to react fast enough)
What is the cause of Idiopathic PD?
- Loss of dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra: about 80% loss –> clinical smx
- age-related loss of neurons
- env toxin/insults?; MPTP-MPP+, Pesticides, herbicides
- genetics: predisposition to toxins/ insults; genetic abnormalities
When do we use Hoehn and Yahr to measure PD?
- to assess mobility (doesnt measure non-motor smx)
- if on tx, should be assess when the person is in the “ON” and also in the “OFF” state
(dont need to do at every clinic visit)
How to we interpret Hoehn and Yahr? (KIV)
increasing disability; decreasing independence from 1 to 5
1: smx on one side of body only
2: bilateral smx; no balance impairment
3: impaired postural reflexes; physically independent
4: Severe disability, yet still able to walk/ stand or stand unassisted
5: wheelchair bound or bedridden
What are some non-motor smx of PD?
- dementia
- depression
- psychosis
- REM sleep behaviour disorder
- Constipation
- GI motility
- Orthostatic hypotension
- Sialorrhoea (due to dysphagia)
- Fatigue
What are other measurements for PD? KIV
measuring non-motor sx
- UPDRS
- MDS-UPDRS (+non-motor)
How many years before clinical onset does smx occur?
20 year prodrome:
- 20yr hyposmia (lack of smell), constipation, bladder disorder
- 10yr sleep disorder, obesity, depression
What are the features of early/ young onset PD?
- slower disease progression
Features:
- less cognitive decline
- earlier motor complications
- dystonia common initial presentation VS falls & freezing in late-onset
dopamine agonists used in preference to levodopa
- dystonia (muscles contract involuntarily, causing repetitive or twisting movements.)
What are the goals of tx?
Manage smx
Maintain fn and autonomy
no tx for PD has ever been shown to be “neuroprotective”
Which class of drugs inc central dopamine, dopaminergic transmission?
1) levodopa + DCI
2) Dopamine agonists
3) MAO B inhibitors
4) COMT inhibitors
Which class of drugs correct the imbalance in other pathways?
1) Anticholinergics
2) NMDA antagonists
What are some non-pharmacological approaches to PD?
- PT: stretching, transfers, posture, walking
- OT: mobility aids, home and workplace safety
- speech and swallowing
- surgery
When is levodopa most effective?
- esp Bradykinesia and Rigidity
When is levodopa the least effective?
- less effective for speech, postural reflex and gait disturbances
Why dopamine cannot be used as a treatment?
DA doesnt cross BBB
Which enzyme causes a peripheral conversion of levodopa to dopamine?
- Catalysed by DOPA decarboxylase, MAO, COMT
What are the PK of levodopa?
- abs in proximal part of SI
- Levodopa F: ~ 33%
- With benserazide or carbidopa: ~75%
- by an active saturable carrier system for large neutral aa e.g. tryptophan
- Abs dec with high fat or high protein meals (separate by 2 hours)
What is combined with Levodopa?
DOPA decarboxylase inhibitors (DCI)
- Do not cross the BBB (only protect levodopa at peripheral)
75-100mg daily required to saturate dopa decarboxylase