title: Initial pharmacotherapy in a population of veterans with Parkinson disease.
abstract: The authors analyzed patient and prescribing provider characteristics for 530 veterans identified from VA pharmacy records with Parkinson disease (PD) and initial pharmacotherapy. Neurologists prescribed 29% of initial therapy. While a patient being younger and seeing a movement disorder specialist predicted receiving dopamine agonists, only 20% of patients younger than age 65 years received dopamine agonists. Initial pharmacotherapy is strongly influenced by the provider's specialty but mostly initiated by providers without PD expertise.
authors: Parkinson Disease Research Education and Clinical Center, Portland VA Medical Center, Portland, OR, USA. swarztra@ohsu.edu
authors: Kari
authors: K
authors: Swarztrauber
authors: Caroline
authors: C
authors: Koudelka
authors: Matthew A
authors: MA
authors: Brodsky