Prescrire international
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Prescrire international · Oct 2011
ReviewTreatment of Parkinson's disease. Psychological disorders: striking a balance in order to optimise antiparkinsonian treatment.
Parkinson's disease is frequently associated with psychological disorders, especially depression, psychotic disorders, and dementia. We examined the management of psychological disorders in Parkinson's disease, including the use of psychotropic drugs, by reviewing the literature using the standard Prescrire methodology. About one-third of patients with Parkinson's disease experience visual hallucinations. ⋯ Cholinesterase inhibitors have a negative harm-benefit balance in this setting. When a Parkinson's patient presents with a psychological disorder, the first step is to optimise antiparkinsonian treatment by striking a balance between motor control and psychological adverse effects. In the few situations in which drug treatment is likely to be beneficial, it should be remembered that psychotropic drugs are at best only moderately effective and should be used with care, monitoring patients for adverse effects.