The Patient with Parkinson's Disease

Abstract

In 1817, James Parkinson wrote a classic medical account describing six patients exhibiting a group of very similar characteristics. Parkinson's patients suffered from what he called "shaking palsy." He attempted to separate these patients with true Parkinson's disease (primary) from those whose disease had similar characteristics but were in fact other neurologic diseases (Onuaguluchi, 1964). The literature tends to separate the classic form of Parkinson's disease as described by James Parkinson from "parkinsonism," or "Parkinson's syndrome." Historically, parkinsonism denotes a clinically similar group of patients who demonstrate tremor, rigidity, and weakness. Many patients having disease other than primary Parkinson's disease were also grouped within the general categoric term of parkinsonism. Recent advances in medical diagnosis have improved the accuracy of classification of neurologic diseases, including Parkinson's disease. For purposes of this discussion, the author will describe the characteristics, incidence, etiology, prognosis, and treatment of patients who are classified as having primary Parkinson's disease.