What Is Parkinson's Disease?

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive disorder of the brain and central nervous system that causes a variety of movement problems such as shaking, muscle stiffness, and difficulty walking.

Movement and coordination in your body are controlled in part by a chemical in your brain called dopamine. In Parkinson's disease, dopamine-producing nerve cells are damaged, gradually reducing dopamine levels in the parts of the brain thought to control movement. Without dopamine, the brain doesn't send signals to the muscles so that they can function properly. That’s why it’s important to start treating Parkinson’s disease as early as possible so that dopamine loss in the brain can be minimized.
 

Who Gets Parkinson’s Disease?

  • Approximately one million people in the U.S. have Parkinson’s disease
  • Parkinson’s disease usually develops after age 60, but 15% of cases are diagnosed in people under the age of 40 

What Causes Parkinson’s Disease?

The cause of Parkinson's disease is still unknown. Many researchers believe it may be caused by a combination of genetic factors and environmental factors, such as exposure to certain toxins.

Do I Have Parkinson's Disease?

Not all movement difficulties are related to Parkinson's disease. If you are experiencing signs and symptoms  associated with Parkinson's disease, or have other reasons to believe you may have it, take action and contact your physician. Early testing and diagnosis will help you manage your symptoms or identify other conditions that may be causing them.

If you would like to get information from a doctor online, the National Parkinson Foundation offers an "Ask the Doctor" Forum. You can also find in-depth information about Parkinson's disease at ParkinsonsHealth.com

 

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AZILECT (rasagiline tablets) is indicated for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD) both as initial therapy alone and to be added to levodopa later in the disease.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION ABOUT AZILECT

Do not take Azilect if you are taking meperidine as it could result in a serious reaction such as coma or death. Also, do not take Azilect with tramadol, methadone, propoxyphene, dextromethophran, St. John’s wort, or cyclobenzaprine. You also should not take Azilect with other monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs).

Inform your physician if you are taking, or planning to take, any prescription or over-the-counter drugs, especially antidepressants and ciprofloxacin. If you have moderate to severe liver disease, you should not take Azilect. You should not exceed a dose of 1 mg per day of Azilect in order to prevent a possibly dangerous increase in blood pressure. All PD patients should be monitored for melanoma (skin cancer) on a regular basis.

Side effects seen with Azilect alone are flu syndrome, joint pain, depression, and indigestion: and when taken with levodopa are uncontrolled movements (dyskinesia), accidental injury, weight loss, low blood pressure when standing, vomiting, anorexia, joint pain, abdominal pain, nausea, constipation, dry mouth, rash, abnormal dreams, and fall.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

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