Parkinsonism in the elderly

Considerable advances have been made in the treatment of parkinsonism in the last 10 to 20 years and have brought great benefit to patients of all ages, including the elderly. Whilst levodopa-containing drugs are the mainstay of treatment in the early disabling stages of the disease, providing increased mobility and independence, longer life expectancy and a shorter period of terminal immobility, as patients live longer more advanced manifestations of the condition develop which are more difficult to treat. Diagnostic difficulties in the elderly are discussed and the main conditions affecting treatment and treatment of the different stages of the disease are reviewed.