Episode 21: What Other Conditions Are Related to Parkinson’s?

Parkinson’s is a complex disease with many symptoms that affect multiple parts of the body. These symptoms can lead to common complications, such as falls and food going down the windpipe into the lungs, causing pneumonia. At the same time, people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) are at risk for conditions that occur in the general population, especially as we age, including heart disease and cancer. Some conditions (i.e., diabetes) even seem to be associated with a higher risk of Parkinson’s. Finally, the more medications you take for various conditions, the more chance there is of a negative drug interaction. But this is not meant to scare you! It is important to be aware of all possibilities and how you can stay as healthy as possible. Dr. Connie Marras, a movement disorders neurologist at the University of Toronto, discusses Parkinson’s comorbidities (conditions you have in addition to PD), how to avoid some of them and what to know about drug interactions.

Released: January 30, 2018

Dr. Marras trained in neurology and movement disorders at the University of Toronto. She subsequently obtained a PhD in epidemiology at the University of Toronto and further trained in epidemiologic research methods at the Parkinson’s Institute in California. She is currently an Associate Professor of Neurology at the University of Toronto and a neurologist at the Toronto Western Hospital Movement Disorders Centre, a Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence. She also serves as an Associate Editor for the Movement Disorders Journal, Executive Committee member of the Pan-American section of the Movement Disorders Society and vice-chair of the research ethics board of the University Health Network in Toronto. Areas of research focus include the epidemiology and clinical expression of Parkinson’s disease and evaluating clinical assessment tools in Parkinson’s disease.

About Connie Marras, MD, PhD, FRCP(C)

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