Parkinson’s Disease
Briana Rogers
Denver School of Nursing
Abstract
This paper will discuss Parkinson’s Disease (PD). The pathophysiology, assessment findings, and treatments/diagnoses will be explored. PD is a chronic disease that affects the way your body moves, causing uncontrollable movements. The pathophysiology of PD is idiopathic (having no known cause), but symptoms are known to indicate the disease. We know what happens when PD invades the brain, but we don’t know why. PD is caused by decreased dopamine-producing cells and accumulated proteins in the brain, also known as lewy bodies. Dopamine is needed in the body for many functions, but its main function is paracrine signaling (cell to cell communication). The accumulation of …show more content…
PD is associated with Parkinsonism, but is different as Parkinsonism is defined as a symptom complex, whereas Parkinson’s disease is defined as an actual illness. PD is also known as idiopathic or primary Parkinsonism, hypokinetic rigid syndrome, or paralysis agitans. The basic description of PD is a frequently occurring disorder of movement. Either primary or secondary PD can occur, where primary is considered idiopathic and secondary is caused by another disorder, such as infection, head trauma, or drugs, etc. Drug induced PD is the most common cause of secondary Parkinson’s. Primary PD onset usually begins around forty years of age, and progresses as adults get older. PD is more common in males and fairly prevalent among the adult population (Heuther & McCance, …show more content…
Almost one million Americans have PD, which is more than MS, MD, or ALS patients combined. There are several organizations to promote research. Parkinson’s not only affects humans, but primates as well, which can help in research and testing for treatment. The main goal for Parkinson’s disease is to develop more diagnostic tests and treatments to provide early detection. Considering PD is chronic and progressive. It is determined incurable, which makes it difficult to continue studies. With modern technology, scientists have made amazing discoveries through treatment of supposed incurable diseases. Scientists believe that a cure for PD will come from the understanding of the cause, whenever that will happen. If the cause of decreased dopamine-producing cells and presence of lewy bodies can be determined, then hopefully a cure will be developed (Parkinson's Disease Foundation,
Briana Rogers
Denver School of Nursing
Abstract
This paper will discuss Parkinson’s Disease (PD). The pathophysiology, assessment findings, and treatments/diagnoses will be explored. PD is a chronic disease that affects the way your body moves, causing uncontrollable movements. The pathophysiology of PD is idiopathic (having no known cause), but symptoms are known to indicate the disease. We know what happens when PD invades the brain, but we don’t know why. PD is caused by decreased dopamine-producing cells and accumulated proteins in the brain, also known as lewy bodies. Dopamine is needed in the body for many functions, but its main function is paracrine signaling (cell to cell communication). The accumulation of …show more content…
PD is associated with Parkinsonism, but is different as Parkinsonism is defined as a symptom complex, whereas Parkinson’s disease is defined as an actual illness. PD is also known as idiopathic or primary Parkinsonism, hypokinetic rigid syndrome, or paralysis agitans. The basic description of PD is a frequently occurring disorder of movement. Either primary or secondary PD can occur, where primary is considered idiopathic and secondary is caused by another disorder, such as infection, head trauma, or drugs, etc. Drug induced PD is the most common cause of secondary Parkinson’s. Primary PD onset usually begins around forty years of age, and progresses as adults get older. PD is more common in males and fairly prevalent among the adult population (Heuther & McCance, …show more content…
Almost one million Americans have PD, which is more than MS, MD, or ALS patients combined. There are several organizations to promote research. Parkinson’s not only affects humans, but primates as well, which can help in research and testing for treatment. The main goal for Parkinson’s disease is to develop more diagnostic tests and treatments to provide early detection. Considering PD is chronic and progressive. It is determined incurable, which makes it difficult to continue studies. With modern technology, scientists have made amazing discoveries through treatment of supposed incurable diseases. Scientists believe that a cure for PD will come from the understanding of the cause, whenever that will happen. If the cause of decreased dopamine-producing cells and presence of lewy bodies can be determined, then hopefully a cure will be developed (Parkinson's Disease Foundation,