[The Dutch College of General Practitioners' practice guideline 'Parkinson's disease' in summary].
Parkinson's disease is characterised by bradykinesia in combination with one or more of the following symptoms: rigidity, resting tremor and disorders of posture and balance. Refer a patient with suspected Parkinson's disease (or parkinsonism) for diagnosis and treatment preferably to a neurologist with expertise in movement disorders. The treatment of Parkinson's disease is symptomatic; to date, there is no treatment that slows disease progression. The treatment of patients with Parkinson's disease and its related disorders involves collaboration of the neurologist, Parkinson's disease nurse and general practitioner. In addition to recognizing the hypokinetic-rigid syndrome, the general practitioner has a role in diagnosing and treating associated symptoms and disorders, and in supporting and counseling the patient and their partner or caregiver.
Nederlands Huisartsen Genootschap, Utrecht, the Netherlands. w.draijer@nhg.org
Willem
W
Draijer
Wietze H
WH
Eizenga
Alja
A
Sluiter
Wim
W
Opstelten
A N Lex
AN
Goudswaard
D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058006:General Practice / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D009426:Netherlands; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012955:Societies, Medical
D000978:Antiparkinson Agents