Psychosis in nursing home patients with Parkinson's disease.
Psychosis in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common and important problem. It is a frequent cause of nursing home placement and is associated with a high mortality. The cause of psychosis in PD is usually multi-factorial but often involves the agents used to treat the motor symptoms of the disease. Treatment strategies should include ruling out other causes of cognitive decline, reducing anti-PD medications, and judicious use of atypical neuroleptic medications. Cholinesterase inhibitors can also be useful as an adjunctive agent in patients with psychosis and cognitive decline. Careful management of PD patients with psychosis can often result in good control of hallucinations and delusions without significant decline in motor function.
Kang
Gail A
GA
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Department of Neurology, 710 Westwood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
Bronstein
Jeff M
JM
D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D019965:Neurocognitive Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D009735:Nursing Homes; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*
D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors