Parkinson's disease & cardiovascular disease: A narrative review

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a synucleinopathy best known for its motor symptoms, but emerging research shows it also impacts the cardiovascular system. In this paper, we explore the association between PD and cardiovascular disease (CVD), reviewing six key categories: cardiac dysautonomia, coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy, heart valve disease, and heart failure. We also discuss risk factors, epidemiology, and overlapping pathophysiology. Cardiac dysautonomia is the most frequently reported cardiovascular issue in PD and includes orthostatic hypotension, postprandial hypotension, supine hypertension, and nocturnal non-dipping blood pressure. PD also appears to be positively associated with coronary artery disease. Early-stage PD is linked to atrial fibrillation, but overall, there is no consistent increase in arrhythmias outside of certain PD medications. Structural and functional cardiac changes such as left ventricular hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction have also been reported in PD, which may predispose to heart failure and cardiomyopathy. Dopamine agonists pergolide and cabergoline are associated with valve regurgitation, but this seems to be drug-related rather than caused by PD. Shared risk factors like aging, male sex, diabetes, and inflammation help explain the PD-CVD connection. However, some CVD risk factors like high LDL and smoking are associated with lower PD risk. Autonomic dysfunction, impaired lipid and glucose metabolism, and chronic inflammation may all contribute to disease overlap. Our review consolidates existing research to highlight the importance of recognizing cardiovascular manifestations in PD, which may present before motor symptoms. This has important implications for earlier diagnosis, better screening, and more effective management of PD.