Vascular parkinsonism: A review on management updates

Abstract

“Vascular parkinsonism (VP)” is a condition which presents with the clinical features of parkinsonism that are presumably caused by cerebrovascular disease. It is classically described as symmetrical lower-body parkinsonism with gait unsteadiness and absence of tremors and is usually associated with pyramidal signs. Treatment for VP remains challenging as available data on the efficacy of current treatment options are contentious. VP is generally considered to be poorly responsive to levodopa, the most effective of the current treatment modalities for parkinsonism. However, there is evidence that some patients benefit from therapy with levodopa. This article reviews the place of levodopa in the treatment of VP.

Keywords

• Atypical parkinsonism
• response to levodopa
• vascular parkinsonism