What it means
A disease in which nerve cells deep in the brain that make dopamine slowly die. Without enough dopamine, movement becomes hard to control. The main signs are a tremorTREM-erShaking of a part of the body, such as the hands, in small rhythmic movements that the person cannot control.Full entry at rest (often a "pill-rolling" movement of the fingers), stiff muscles, slow movement and poor balance, with a shuffling walk and a mask-like face. It is named after James Parkinson, the English doctor who described it in 1817.
For the nurse
Give the medicines (such as carbidopa-levodopa) on time, because a late dose can bring back stiffness and freezing. Watch for falls and for trouble swallowing, which raises the risk of aspirationas-puh-RAY-shunBreathing food, liquid, saliva or stomach contents into the airway and lungs; also, drawing fluid out with suction or a needle.Full entry . Encourage the client to do as much self-care as possible, with extra time.
In a chart
"Resting tremor of right hand, shuffling gait; carbidopa-levodopa given at 0800 as scheduled."
At a glance
| Spanish | enfermedad de Parkinson |
|---|---|
| Also written | Parkinson's disease, Parkinson's, Parkinsons, parkinsons-disease, Parkinson |
Related terms
central nervous system
The brain and the spinal cord together.
tremor
Shaking of a part of the body, such as the hands, in small rhythmic movements that the person cannot control.
dysphagia
Difficulty swallowing.
neurotransmitter
A chemical that a nerve cell releases to pass a signal to another nerve, muscle or gland cell.