This module will update your knowledge on Parkinson's disease, covering issues such as:
- Diagnosing Parkinson's and differentiating it from other movement disorders
- Initiating pharmacological treatment, such as levodopa, or a monoamine-oxidase inhibitor
- Dosage and titration of drug treatment
- Identifying depression in patients with Parkinson's
- Advising patients on the implications of their condition on their ability to drive safely
- Managing the "on-off" phenomenon
This module was first published on 3 November 2010 and was up to date with all key guidelines and evidence at that point. It will be reviewed as part of our routine update cycle by 3 November 2012 but will be updated sooner to reflect any key guideline changes.
Doug MacMahon has recently retired as a consultant general physician in Cornwall. He was a member of the NICE Parkinson's guideline development group and has written many publications and book chapters on Parkinson's.
Dr Martin Hadley-Brown is a GP in Thetford, Norfolk