Patients with Parkinson's disease in hospital

Patients with Parkinson's disease or parkinsonism are hospitalized more frequently, suffer more complications, have longer inpatient stays and are less frequently discharged directly to home. Their medication is often discontinued during hospitalization, leading to numerous complications such as akinetic crises with more falls, pressure ulcers, pulmonary problems, need for more nursing care, etc. There are various methods to overcome swallowing difficulties, and thus sustain the necessary level of dopaminergic stimulation. Commonly used anti-dopaminergic drugs to treat nausea or confusion have to be avoided.