Parkinson's disease
Structured condition card with NCLEX priority cues and nursing action focus.
Neuromedium priorityneeds review
Parkinson's disease
Etiology / Pathophysiology
- Progressive loss of dopamine-producing neurons.
- Dopamine deficit causes bradykinesia, rigidity, tremor, and postural instability.
Medications
| Class | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Dopaminergic agents | Improve motor symptoms by increasing dopamine effect. |
| Anticholinergics | May reduce tremor or medication-related EPS in selected clients. |
Signs / symptoms
- Shuffling gait, mask-like face, pill-rolling tremor.
- Late dose worsens mobility.
Nursing actions
- Support fall precautions, swallowing safety, and medication timing.
- Encourage mobility, speech/swallow therapy, and nutrition planning.
- Monitor orthostatic hypotension and hallucinations from therapy.
Complications
- Aspiration
- Falls
- Constipation
- Medication wearing off
NCLEX cues
- Shuffling gait, mask-like face, pill-rolling tremor.
- Late dose worsens mobility.
Memory hooks
- Parkinson is slow and stiff; meds are clock-sensitive.
Labs / Diagnostics
- Trend assessment findings and ordered diagnostics; verify exact values with school source material.
Review notes
- Session-derived study seed. Verify against school materials, ATI/NCLEX review sources, current orders, and facility policy before relying on details.
Cross references
Related cards are generated from the shared study map, not hand-built per page.
Source entitycondition card
Parkinson's disease
Condition card for Parkinson's disease: recognize the testable cue, prevent the complication, and choose the safest first nursing action.
Med classmedication safety
Anticholinergics
Blocks parasympathetic activity, so secretions dry up, heart rate can rise, and smooth muscle spasms decrease.
Med classmedication safety
Dopaminergic agents
Boosts dopamine signaling to improve bradykinesia, rigidity, and tremor.