Is parkinson an expensive disease?

As parkinson's is a chronic disease. It is not ageing disease
PD patients are different from what we define themself as "patient" i.e only during acute, self-limited illness or injury that temporarily impact their lives as an inconvenience or comfort.
It is estimated out of 2-3% at the age above 50 years old are Parkinson disease suffers. Unfortunately we are shortage of PD specialists. As the result some are wrongly diagnosed as ageing and no medications are given to slowdown the disease.

Theref0re Parkinson is an expensive disease.

The reasons are as follows:

The treatment of the symptoms of PD is complex for several reasons.

First, PD is a progressive disease, getting worse over time, so that the medications and doses that work well early in the disease are insufficient later on.

Second, the most effective drugs have long-term side effects that are troubling and difficult to control.

Third, there are a lot of different treatment options, and finding the right combination can be time consuming.

Fourth, the PD patient is likely being treated for other conditions associated with advancing age, and these conditions or their treatment may interfere with treatment of PD.

Finally, a major treatment option for late-stage PD is surgery, but the risks of surgery are significant, and determining when and what kind of surgery to perform is a complicated decison.


Since PD therapy continues to undergo rapid advances, it may include specialists of speech/language, a geriatric medicine to coordinate other medical and social issues, a neuropsychologist for expertise on cognitive aspects of PD and a neurosurgeon when there is necessary.



http://www.answers.com/topic/parkinson-s-disease