What are the treatments for Parkinson's disease (PD) tremor?

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From the Research

Treatment Options for Parkinson's Disease Tremor

The following are treatment options for Parkinson's disease (PD) tremor:

  • Medications:
    • Levodopa: first-line therapeutic option for all motor symptoms, including tremor 1, 2, 3, 4
    • Dopamine agonists: can lead to further tremor reduction when added to levodopa 1, 2, 4
    • Anticholinergics: can lead to further tremor reduction, but have a limited role due to adverse effects 1, 2, 3, 4
    • Propranolol: may improve resting and action tremor, and can be considered as an adjunct to levodopa 2
    • Clozapine: may be considered as an adjunct to levodopa, despite its unfavorable adverse effect profile 2
  • Alternative Therapies:
    • Botulinum toxin injection: effective alternative for patients with pharmacological-resistant tremor who are not seeking advanced therapies 1
    • Deep brain stimulation: most well-established advanced therapy, with long-term efficacy, reversibility, and effectiveness in other motor symptoms and fluctuations 1, 2, 4, 5
    • Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound: promising modality, with the advantage of being incisionless 1, 2
    • Cortical and peripheral electrical stimulation: non-invasive innovatory techniques that have demonstrated good efficacy in suppressing intractable tremor 1
  • Surgical Interventions:
    • Thermocoagulation: offers good to excellent tremor control with relatively low risk to the patient 4
    • Deep brain stimulation at several different neuroanatomical sites (thalamus, globus pallidus, subthalamic nucleus): offers good to excellent tremor control with relatively low risk to the patient 4, 5

References

Research

Tremor in Parkinson's Disease: From Pathophysiology to Advanced Therapies.

Tremor and other hyperkinetic movements (New York, N.Y.), 2022

Research

Tremor revisited: treatment of PD tremor.

Parkinsonism & related disorders, 2012

Professional Medical Disclaimer

This information is intended for healthcare professionals. Any medical decision-making should rely on clinical judgment and independently verified information. The content provided herein does not replace professional discretion and should be considered supplementary to established clinical guidelines. Healthcare providers should verify all information against primary literature and current practice standards before application in patient care. Dr.Oracle assumes no liability for clinical decisions based on this content.

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