The core feature of Parkinson's disease is not "shaking" but "slowness". How to deal with it?

An elderly friend told Huazi that his hands have been shaking badly recently. Is he suffering from Parkinson's disease? What should he do if he is sick? Huazi said that although most Parkinson's patients have hand shaking (tremor) as the first symptom, not all patients will have hand shaking.

The core characteristic of Parkinson's disease is "slowness", especially in elderly patients over 70 years old, who usually show symptoms such as bradykinesia and rigidity. If you find that you have the signs of Parkinson's disease, you must seek active treatment from a doctor and use medication to control the progression of the disease.

1. Parkinson's disease is a "chronic disease"

To treat Parkinson's disease, we must first face it. Many people think that Parkinson's disease cannot be cured, and they will give up on themselves. In fact, with the current medical level, many diseases cannot be cured, but through reasonable treatment, most of the symptoms of the disease can be controlled and the quality of life can be the same as that of normal people .

Parkinson's disease has a genetic tendency. If parents have the disease, the probability of their children developing the disease will increase significantly. Parkinson's disease has the phenomenon of "genetic early onset", that is, the onset will be earlier and earlier in each generation, and the symptoms of the disease will also become more severe in each generation . Therefore, once you find that you have a tendency to Parkinson's disease, you must seek treatment as soon as possible.

2. Be prepared for a long-term war against disease

The pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disease of the nervous system, that is, nerve degeneration in the brain, which reduces the release of dopamine neurotransmitters and loses the balance with acetylcholine neurotransmitters , leading to movement disorders, tremors, bradykinesia, autonomic nervous system disorders, sleep disorders, inhibition, anxiety and other symptoms.

Parkinson's disease will gradually worsen over time, progressing faster in the early stages of the disease than in the later stages , so once diagnosed, active treatment should be started immediately. This is the key point in Parkinson's disease treatment.

After taking the medicine, even if the symptoms are relieved, you cannot stop taking the medicine. Because Parkinson's disease cannot be cured at this stage, patients need to adhere to lifelong treatment to ensure their quality of life .

III. Main drugs for controlling Parkinson's disease

The pathogenic mechanism of Parkinson's disease is insufficient dopamine function in the brain, so the main purpose of medication is to improve the function of dopamine nerves.

1. Levodopa preparations : Levodopa is the main drug for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. However, it is easily destroyed in the periphery, resulting in a reduction in the amount of drug entering the central nervous system. Therefore, compound drugs with levodopa peripheral protective agents are often used, such as benserazide levodopa (dopaser hydrazine), carbidopa levodopa and other drugs.

2. Non-ergot dopamine receptor agonists : Drugs that can directly stimulate dopamine receptors, such as pramipexole and ropinirole . When the efficacy of levodopa preparations decreases or the "switch phenomenon" occurs, these drugs can be used in combination.

3. Monoamine oxidase B inhibitors : The degradation of dopamine in the brain is closely related to monoamine oxidase B. Drugs such as rasagiline and selegiline can be used to inhibit the activity of monoamine oxidase B and enhance the effect of dopamine in the brain.

4. Amantadine : Amantadine can resist influenza A virus, promote the release of dopamine by neurons in the brain, inhibit the reuptake of dopamine by neurites, increase the level of dopamine in the neural gap, and has an anti-acetylcholine effect in the central nervous system. It can be used to treat Parkinson's disease.

5. Catechol-o-methyltransferase inhibitors : such as entocapone , can inhibit the peripheral degradation of levodopa and need to be used in combination with levodopa preparations. It is ineffective when used alone.

To sum up, when treating Parkinson's disease, we must understand that this is a chronic disease that cannot be cured, but long-term medication can control symptoms and improve quality of life. The vast majority of patients need to take medication for life and use combination medications. They cannot reduce, stop or change medications without authorization.

The rational use of drugs under the guidance of a doctor is the prerequisite for successful treatment. If you have any questions about the drugs, please consult a doctor or pharmacist. I am pharmacist Huazi, welcome to follow me and share more health knowledge.