Parkinson disease
MDS diagnostic criteria and red flags for atypical parkinsonism, levodopa and its alternatives, motor fluctuations, non-motor symptoms, and safe hospital care.
Tier 1Condition
Written with AI assistance and fact-checked against the sources below. For exam study, not clinical decisions. How notes are made
At a glance
- Loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra with alpha-synuclein Lewy bodies. Clinical diagnosis when about 60 to 80% have gone.
- Bradykinesia plus rest tremor or rigidity, usually asymmetric, with a clear response to levodopa.
- About 1% of people over 60. Australian estimates vary widely: a 2020 modelling study for Parkinson's Australia gave about 76,000 (upper bound about 150,000), and Fight Parkinson's quotes about 219,000, including atypical parkinsonism.
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Sources
- MDS clinical diagnostic criteria for Parkinson's diseasePostuma RB et al., Movement Disorders 2015;30(12):1591-1601, 2015
- Therapeutic Guidelines: Neurology (Parkinson disease)AU/NZTherapeutic Guidelines Limited
- Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme: foslevodopa with foscarbidopa (Vyalev)AU/NZAustralian Government Department of Health (PBS), Listed 1 August 2025
- National Parkinson's Action PlanAU/NZNational Parkinson's Alliance and Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, March 2026
- PG07(A) Guideline on pre-anaesthesia consultation and patient preparation (fasting)AU/NZAustralian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA)
- Parkinson's incidence and prevalenceAU/NZParkinson's Australia
- Parkinson's disease in adults (NG71)NICE, 2017, with later updates (check NICE for the current version)
- Assessing fitness to drive for commercial and private vehicle driversAU/NZAustroads and National Transport Commission, 2022
- Last updated
- 14 November 2026
What changed
- 14 November 2026 Personal emails, About story and Australian-style copy