F.P. is a 66-year-old man hospitalized for surgical management of an enlarged prostate. His chart indicates that he has had Parkinson disease for 5 years prior to admission, managed with a dopamine precursor (levodopa/carbidopa). He also has a seizure history, having experienced a seizure about 20 years ago as a complication of a motor vehicle accident. He took an antiseizure medication for many years but stopped taking it about 3 years ago because he was "tired of taking it and hadn't had a seizure since the accident."
Case Questions
- What types of motor difficulties would F.P. be expected to exhibit related to his Parkinson disease?
- What is the rationale for managing Parkinson disease with a dopamine precursor?
- What safety and activities-of-daily-living problems might F.P. have encountered while hospitalized?
- If F.P. experienced seizure activity while in the hospital, what should have been assessed during the seizure episode? How would his seizure have been managed?