A case of Parkinsons disease nursing essay

A case of Parkinsons disease

According to the case scenario, a 78-year old patient had just been newly diagnosed with Parkinsons disease. Parkinsons disease (PD) is a chronic neurodegenerative condition resulting from the death of the dopaminergic neurons in the substantia niagra, a structure in the midbrain that is involved in the control of movement.

WRITE THIS ESSAY FOR ME

Tell us about your assignment and we will find the best writer for your paper.

Get Help Now!

There are an estimated around 6 to 11 people per 6,000 of the general population in the United Kingdom suffering from Parkinsons Disease.1 PD is an age-related disease which the prevalence rates increased with increasing age with no significant differences in gender. There are approximately 0.5% to 1% of 65 to 69 years old people diagnosed with PD and increase up to 1% to 3% of people who are 80 years old and above with no significant differences between male and female.

2 In addition, according to seven population-based studies, the prevalence of PD among 65 years old person was 1.8 per 100 populations, increased from 0.6 among person 65 to 69 years of age to 2.6 among those of 85 to 89 years old people.3

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) has a major socio-economic impact and manifests primarily as movement disorders or known as motor disorders.1 The clinical motor features at presentation include rest tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity and postural instability and these symptoms can usually be treated. However, as the disease progresses, it involves degeneration of non-dopaminergic neurons such as non-adrenergic, serotinergic and cholinergic neurons.

4 This loss is characterized by non-motor symptoms that include depression, hallucination, sleep abnormalities and autonomic disturbances. In terms of mortality, a long term study was conducted to assess mortality in 238 PD patients with symptoms onset between 1974 and 1984 and regularly follow-up at Movement Disorder Outpatient Clinic, Innsbruck Medical University until 2004.

5 The Standardized Mortality Ratios (SMRs) was used to determine the mortality rates and found to be significantly increased over 30 years of follow up with the modest rise of mortality from 10 years upwards as compared with general population.

Also, The Cox’s proportional hazards regression model was used as predictors of survival and found that the older age at onset was significantly associated with decreased survival (p<0.001).5 Therefore, the age at symptoms onset was adjusted to predict survival in gender, presence of rest tremor, asymmetry of parkinsonian and gait disorder. As a result, the male patient (p<0.001) and those patient with absence of tremor (p< 0.001), absence of asymmetry (p<0.01) and gait disorder (p<0.05) were predicted to have poor survival rates. 5

Sleep disturbances such as excessive daytime sleepiness and Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep behaviour disorder are common problem among Parkinson’s disease patient especially in the early stages of the disease.1, 6 Besides that , PD is associated with an increased risk of falling leading to fractures and its occur more commonly among elderly patients.1,7 Several autonomic disturbances such as dysphagia, weight loss, constipation, urinary and sexual dysfunction may also account for the frequent complaints among PD patient.

In terms of neuropsychiatric non-motor symptoms, Parkinson’s disease frequently coexists with psychiatric conditions such as depre………………………………

Our group of highly qualified and skilled writers is ready to help you with a similar paper within a specified deadline. Just click ORDER NOW and provide us with your assignment details, contact information and make payments. You will get periodic updates on order progress in your email.