Ilana Schlesinger1, David Rabinowitz. 1. Department of Neurology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Technion Faculty of Medicine, Haifa, Israel. i_schles@rambam.health.gov.il
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe a new form of anxiety in patients with Parkinson disease (PD). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 100 consecutive charts of patients with PD to identify those who did not adhere to their medication schedule owing to irrational fear of taking their medication. Information pertaining to their PD and comorbid medical conditions was collected. RESULTS: We identified 6 patients with PD who had severe disability, yet anxiety from taking the medication caused avoidance of taking appropriate oral medication. This avoidance persisted in the face of reassurance that the medication is not dangerous and that taking the medication would improve their disability. CONCLUSION: This study describes a new form of anxiety in patients with PD. We propose the term ``medication phobia'' to describe these patients.
OBJECTIVE: To describe a new form of anxiety in patients with Parkinson disease (PD). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 100 consecutive charts of patients with PD to identify those who did not adhere to their medication schedule owing to irrational fear of taking their medication. Information pertaining to their PD and comorbid medical conditions was collected. RESULTS: We identified 6 patients with PD who had severe disability, yet anxiety from taking the medication caused avoidance of taking appropriate oral medication. This avoidance persisted in the face of reassurance that the medication is not dangerous and that taking the medication would improve their disability. CONCLUSION: This study describes a new form of anxiety in patients with PD. We propose the term ``medication phobia'' to describe these patients.
Authors: Jori E Fleisher; Nabila A Dahodwala; Sharon X Xie; Mark Mayo; Daniel Weintraub; Joshua Chodosh; Judy A Shea Journal: J Parkinsons Dis Date: 2016-04-02 Impact factor: 5.568