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Parkinson's Disease - The Silent Robber

Illustration of Parkinson's disease by William Richard Gowers, which was first published in A Manual of Diseases of the Nervous Sustem (1886)




-Pulmonary aspiration most common cause of death

- Dysphonia present in 90%

-Nocturnal stridor common (insidious, overlooked), resembles OSA

-May benefit from CPAP

-Flow-volume loops often show cog-wheel (4-8Hz) oscillations, worse when meds not taken

-Respiratory arrest may result from withholding anti-parkinsonian meds

-Post-extubation laryngospasm and respiratory failure common

-With regional anesthesia, diphenhydramine useful due to its central anticholinergic activity.

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