title: Parkinson disease treatment in hospitals and nursing facilities: avoiding pitfalls.
abstract: The unique needs of patients with Parkinson disease challenge staff when such patients are admitted to hospitals or nursing facilities. Prolongation of the hospital stay, falls with injuries, fainting, or declining motor function may result from therapeutic misadventures or failure to anticipate common problems. Staff familiarity with Parkinson disease, and especially carbidopa-levodopa dosing and dynamics, may prevent such problems and streamline hospital and nursing home care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. Electronic address: eahlskog@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: J Eric
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Ahlskog
mesh_terms: D000547:Amantadine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002230:Carbidopa / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002396:Catechols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007980:Levodopa / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009570:Nitriles / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009732:Nursing Care; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D002396:Catechols; D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D004338:Drug Combinations; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; D009570:Nitriles; C009265:carbidopa, levodopa drug combination; D007980:Levodopa; C071192:entacapone; D000547:Amantadine; D002230:Carbidopa