Canada: Parkinson's guidelines set standard for care

July 24, 2012 in Parkinson's & Movement disorders

(Medical Xpress) -- It’s been five years in the making but health-care workers across the country now have guidelines on how to diagnose and treat patients with Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson Society Canada, as well as Canada’s top movement-disorder specialists and neurologists, released the in mid-June. The Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta is home to three of the authors: Wayne Martin, Oksana Suchowersky and Marguerite Wieler.

The 84 recommendations will provide health-care professionals with practical, clinical advice for diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson’s, based on published evidence and expert consensus.

“We knew that guidelines existed in other countries but we felt that it was important to have Canada-specific guidelines,” said Martin, a professor in the Department of Medicine. “Neurologists are writing the guidelines but they’re useful for family physicians, physiotherapists, nurses and anyone who deals with patients who have Parkinson’s.”

“We are delighted to launch the Canadian Guidelines on Parkinson’s Disease, which we believe will lead to better, more consistent and more accessible care for Canadians with Parkinson’s,” says Joyce Gordon, president and CEO of Parkinson Society Canada. “The guidelines will result in earlier diagnosis, better treatment, increased awareness and better health-care policies for Canadians with Parkinson’s.”

More than 100,000 Canadians have Parkinson’s disease and a lot of those people don’t live in the major centres that are home to specialized movement-disorder clinics. This means patients in rural areas are relying on their local family physician and other allied health-care professionals.

“There aren’t enough speciality clinics to meet the needs of everyone who has Parkinson’s,” said Wieler, research associate and program manager with the Movement Disorders Program at the University of Alberta/Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital. “These guidelines allow non-specialists to have a sense of what is the standard of care.”

The guidelines will be distributed to family physicians, pharmacists, nurses and allied health professionals, including occupational therapists, physiotherapists and speech-language pathologists.

“There’s increasing recognition among the group that is dealing with Parkinson’s that they need a lot more than just doctors,” said Martin.

Parkinson’s disease affects many systems, including movement, mood and cognition. The typical age of onset is mid-50s in most patients, but about 10 per cent of show symptoms before the age of 40.

The guidelines will be published in the Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences and can also be viewed at www.parkinsonclini… uidelines.ca

Provided by University of Alberta search and more info website

not rated yet  

Rank not rated yet
Relevant PhysicsForums posts

More news stories

Diabetes drug tested in Parkinson's disease patients

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a degenerative neurological disorder marked by a progressive loss of motor control. Despite intensive research, there are currently no approved therapies that have been demonstrated to alter the ...

Parkinson's & Movement disorders created May 20, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Faulty energy production in brain cells leads to disorders ranging from Parkinson's to intellectual disability

Neuroscientist Patrik Verstreken of VIB (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology) and KU Leuven has shown for the first time that dysfunctional mitochondria in brain cells can lead to learning disabilities. The link between ...

Parkinson's & Movement disorders created May 17, 2013 | popularity 4 / 5 (2) | comments 0

Unleashing the watchdog protein

McGill University researchers have unlocked a new door to developing drugs to slow the progression of Parkinson's disease. Collaborating teams led by Dr. Edward A. Fon at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital -The ...

Parkinson's & Movement disorders created May 09, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Could eating peppers prevent Parkinson's? Dietary nicotine may hold protective key

New research reveals that Solanaceae—a flowering plant family with some species producing foods that are edible sources of nicotine—may provide a protective effect against Parkinson's disease. The study appearing today ...

Parkinson's & Movement disorders created May 09, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Study reveals probable role of Parkinson's protein in healthy brain

(Medical Xpress)—Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have exposed the possible function, in the healthy brain, of a mysterious molecule that has been strongly implicated in Parkinson's ...

Parkinson's & Movement disorders created May 01, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (3) | comments 0 | with audio podcast


Slowing the aging process—only with antibiotics

Swiss scientists reveal the mechanism responsible for aging hidden deep within mitochondria—and dramatically slow it down in worms by administering antibiotics to the young.

Researchers complete largest genetic sequencing study of human disease

Researchers from Queen Mary, University of London have led the largest sequencing study of human disease to date, investigating the genetic basis of six autoimmune diseases.

Brain can be trained in compassion, study shows

Until now, little was scientifically known about the human potential to cultivate compassion—the emotional state of caring for people who are suffering in a way that motivates altruistic behavior.

Rate of bicycle-related fatalities significantly lower in states with helmet laws

Existing research shows that bicyclists who wear helmets have an 88 percent lower risk of brain injury, but researchers at Boston Children's Hospital found that simply having bicycle helmet laws in place showed a 20 percent ...

Having both migraines, depression may mean smaller brain

(HealthDay)—Migraines and depression can each cause a great deal of suffering, but new research indicates the combination of the two may be linked to something else entirely—a smaller brain.

Novel approach for influenza vaccination shows promise in early animal testing

A new approach for immunizing against influenza elicited a more potent immune response and broader protection than the currently licensed seasonal influenza vaccines when tested in mice and ferrets. The vaccine ...