Parkinson’s Disease: Medical History

The medical history (history of the patient) represents an important component in the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.

Family history

  • Are there any people in your family with PD?

Social history

Current medical history/systemic history (somatic and psychological complaints).

  • Have you noticed tremors, especially of the hands?
  • Do you feel that their muscles are tense?
  • Do you notice a small-stepped gait?
  • Have you noticed a slowing of your movement?
  • Have you noticed additional soft monotone speech, decreased facial expressions, or infrequent blinking of the eyelids?
  • Have you noticed any other symptoms such as dizziness, increased saliva production or difficulty swallowing?
  • Do you sometimes feel melancholic?
  • Do you suffer from mood swings?

Vegetative anamnesis incl. nutritional anamnesis.

  • Do you suffer from constipation?
  • Do you use any drugs? If so, what drugs (amphetamine-type stimulants (e.g., methamphetamine; colloquially, crystal meth, meth, or crystal)) and how often per day or per week?

Self-history incl. drug history.

  • Pre-existing conditions (cardiovascular disease; dyslipidemia; hormonal disorders such as hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), osteoporosis).
  • Operations
  • Allergies
  • Environmental history
    • Aluminum
    • Lead
    • Cobalt
    • Disulfiram
    • Carbon disulfide
    • Air pollutants
      • Particulate matter (PM2.5) – 13% increased risk of disease per 5 µg/m3 increase in particulate matter at residence (hazard ratio 1.13; 1.12 to 1.14); association was dose-dependent up to a PM2.5 concentration of 16 µg/m3.
      • Carbon monoxide
    • Manganese (manganese-containing fumes during welding) → development and progression of manganese parkinsonism.
    • Methyl alcohol (methanol)
    • MPTP (1-methyl-1-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine)
    • Organochlorine pesticides – e.g., beta-hexachlorocyclohexanes (beta-HCH) were more frequently detectable in patients with PD (76%) compared with a control group (40%)
    • Mercury amalgam (+58%).
    • Rotenone (pyranofurochromone derivative whose basic structure is derived from isoflavones).
    • Cyanide

Medication history