23rd January 2015 - New research

RELUCTANCE TO START PARKINSON'S DISEASE TREATMENT

The first study to assess the reluctance to start medication in Parkinson's Disease has found a reluctance to begin medication that is primarily due to a fear about side effects and a refusal to accept a diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease.

The most common reasons reported by patients for not starting Parkinson's Disease treatments were : the fear of side effects (55%), followed by the refusal to acceptance a diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease (36%). However, the main concern of physicians in starting Parkinson's Disease drugs was their temporary and limited benefits (34%). Patients were more than twice as reluctant to start dopamine agonists compared with starting L-Dopa. In contrast, physicians perceived starting L-dopa to be far more associated with greater reluctance.

People with Parkinson's Disease and physicians therefore clearly have a very different perspective on the issue of reluctance to start medication. The researchers suggest that there is a need to bring physicians and patients with Parkinson's Disease closer to a shared vision of the problem reluctance to start medication.

Reference : Parkinsonism Related Disorders [2014] 20 (6) : 608-612 (T.A.Mestre, T. Teodoro, W.Reginold, J.Graf, M.Kasten, J.Sale, M.Zurowski, J.Miyasaki, J.J.Ferreira, C. Marras)  Complete abstract  For more news go to Parkinson's Disease News

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