Related Experiment Videos
Parkinsonism unmasked by verapamil
E García-Albea1, F J Jiménez-Jiménez, L Ayuso-Peralta
1Section of Neurology, Hospital Universitario Príncipe de Asturias, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain.
Clinical Neuropharmacology
|June 1, 1993
Summary
Verapamil may unmask parkinsonian syndromes, even in patients unresponsive to levodopa. This case study highlights a potential drug-induced parkinsonism not previously documented, suggesting careful medication review is crucial.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Parkinsonian syndromes are often treated with levodopa.
- Drug-induced parkinsonism is a known clinical phenomenon.
Observation:
- A 55-year-old man presented with levodopa-unresponsive parkinsonian syndrome for 5 years.
- The patient had been taking verapamil for 8 years.
Findings:
- Parkinsonian signs significantly improved after verapamil withdrawal.
- This suggests verapamil may have unmasked the parkinsonism.
Implications:
- Verapamil could be an unrecognised cause of parkinsonism.
- Clinicians should consider verapamil as a potential trigger for parkinsonian symptoms.
- This finding warrants further investigation into verapamil's neurological side effects.