Parkinson’s medication side-effects.

• Parkinson’s medication side-effects are very common in the elderly.

• The goal here is to maximise the benefit of the Parkinson’s medications whilst minimising drug side-effects.

• Side effects of Parkinson’s medication include-

  • worsening confusion.

  • delirium.

  • visual hallucinations.

  • paranoid delusions.

  • nausea.

  • constipation.

  • postural hypotension or a drop in standing blood pressure causing dizziness and falls.

  • dystonia or involuntary muscle movements- this usually means the perosn is on too much Parkinsons’s medication- the dose is too high.

  • motor restlessness (akisthesia) - very restless-can’t relax and keep still.

  • levodopa induced motor fluctuations-”off-on” phenomena where the positive drug effects wear off or “end of dose” effects so that they tend to freeze up too soon before the next dose.

• Parkinson’ s medications must be regularly reviewed and doses and times of drugs adjusted according to benefits and side-effects.

• Giving Parkinson’s medications late in the evening to frail older patients increases the risk of delirium/confusion.

• Older frail Parkinson’s patients should always start on lower doses.

For more information read Dr Peter Lipski’s book “Your Elderly Parents Failing Health. Is It Ageing Or A Treatable Condition”.