Chapter 18 - Parkinson’s Disease and Related Disorders in Acute Hospitals

Summary

Parkinson’s is a commonly encountered condition in both acute hospitals and rehabilitation settings, particularly among older adults. It is also a true neuropsychiatric condition. People with Parkinson’s have both physical health and mental health morbidity, and the likelihood of a liaison psychiatrist being called to assess someone with Parkinson’s is therefore high. However, since this condition is often primarily thought of as a movement disorder rather thanas a neuropsychiatric disorder, the liaison psychiatrist may not have had much training in it, particularly in the physical problems that can occur. This chapter aims to provide the reader with a basic overview of Parkinson’s and related disorders, focusing on emergency presentations and problems that may occur during an acute admission, since these are the situations in which the liaison psychiatrist is most likely to be involved. Formatted to include tables and boxes, the chapter gives the reader easily digestible and clinically relevant information, with emphasis on the practical management of commonly encountered clinical problems rather than on theoretical information.