On the occasion of World Parkinson’s Day, health care professionals from the Clinic for Neurology, University Clinical Center Tuzla hosted a press conference today. Speakers at the press coference were Prof. Dr. Dževdet Smajlović, Prof. Dr. Omer Ć. Ibrahimagić, Dr. Amra Iljazović and Alma Vuleta, head nurse. Organizers of conference pointed out that the aim of Parkinson’s Awareness Day is to raise awareness of Parkinson’s disease by promoting a greater understanding of this condition and how it can affect a person.
Parkinson’s disease is a disorder of the central nervous system that implies a gradual loss of certain brain cells function affecting the motor system and mobility of the patient. There is no official register data for this condition the Tuzla Canton, but according to evaluation about 400 to 500 persons suffer from Parkinson’s. The most obvious symptoms are shaking, body stiffness or rigidity and slowness of movement. Although shaking is often associated with this condition, only 25% of patients may experience it or there may be the total absence of shaking.
Today’s conference was an opportunity to promote a greater public understanding of the condition. As it was said, medical management of Parkinson’s disease include Levodopa, which relatively quickly lead to the exhaustion of the initial improvement, and other drugs with different mechanism of action should be added in treatment.
Early diagnosis and treatment instituted shortly after diagnosis are essential for slowing disease progression and successful improving patient quality of life. Apart from health care professional, family and caregivers play a major role in terms of providing psychological support for family members with Parkinson’s disease