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Parkinson's disease - Management
What should I do at medication review?

  • Ensure that any requested changes to repeat medication have been made since the last specialist visit, and check that doses and timings are correct.
  • Check that any relevant drug monitoring has been undertaken if there is a local agreement for monitoring to take place in primary care.
  • Ask about and monitor adherence to treatment and explore any barriers to taking medication.
    • If the person is over-using dopaminergic medication, consider whether they may have dopamine dysregulation syndrome (compulsive overuse of dopaminergic drugs) — see Impulse control and related disorders.
    • The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has issued guidance on Medicines adherence: involving patients in decisions about prescribed medicines and supporting adherence that can be found at www.nice.org.uk.
  • Ask about possible adverse effects of anti-parkinsonian medication.
  • Ensure that no other medication is exacerbating the Parkinson's disease — see Drugs to avoid.
  • Do not stop anti-parkinsonian medication abruptly because of the risk of causing neuroleptic malignant syndrome (which can be serious).
  • Respond to any concerns about motor and non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
  • Check that the person has appropriate access to support services — see Role of primary care.

In depth

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