Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a disorder that affects the central nervous system. PD results when critical nerve cells die off in the basal ganglia, the part of the brain controlling movement.
The disorder primarily afflicts people over 50, but is sometimes diagnosed in patients in their 30s and 40s.
Some patients with Parkinson's disease develop autonomic failure including orthostatic hypotension. It is not known whether these patients have a more serious prognosis than PD patients without autonomic failure.
When properly diagnosed, symptoms of autonomic failure in patients with Parkinson's disease can be successfully treated.
