From the Guidelines
Essential tremor is a highly prevalent movement disorder, affecting approximately 1% of the general population and up to 5% of people over age 60, with prevalence rates rising to nearly 10% in individuals over 80 years old. The condition is considered the most prevalent movement disorder in adults, being about 20 times more common than Parkinson's disease 1.
Key Characteristics of Essential Tremor
- Essential tremor often runs in families, with about 50-70% of cases showing a family history of the condition
- The disorder affects men and women equally and occurs across all ethnic groups worldwide
- Many cases likely go undiagnosed as people with milder symptoms may not seek medical attention, considering their tremor a normal part of aging or nervousness
- This suggests the actual prevalence may be even higher than reported in epidemiological studies
Impact of Essential Tremor
- The high prevalence of essential tremor makes it an important neurological condition that significantly impacts public health, affecting millions of people globally
- Essential tremor can be treated with medications such as propranolol, which has been used for over 40 years, and other beta-blockers like metoprolol, depending on the case 1
- The condition's impact on quality of life, morbidity, and mortality highlights the need for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment options.
From the Research
Prevalence of Essential Tremor
- Essential tremor is one of the most prevalent movement disorders 2
- It affects approximately 4% of the population above 65 years of age 3
- Essential tremor is the most common cause of tremor involving upper limbs, head, and voice 4
- It is one of the most common movement disorders in adults and can affect both children and adults 5
Characteristics of Essential Tremor
- Characterized by kinetic and postural tremor 6
- Tremor may be present in other locations, commonly the neck or the vocal cords 5
- Patients with additional neurologic symptoms are now categorized as "essential tremor plus" 5
- Additional clinical features associated with the condition include cognitive impairment, psychiatric disorders, and hearing loss 5
Treatment and Management
- The first line of treatment for limb tremor is pharmacotherapy with propranolol or primidone 4
- Botulinum toxin injections are likely efficacious for limb, voice, and head tremor but are associated with side effects 4
- Surgical interventions include deep brain stimulation, magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound, and thalamotomy for unilateral and deep brain stimulation for bilateral procedures 4