Abstract
Constipation, defined as less than three bowel movements per week, is a common autonomic symptom seen in patients with Parkinson’s disease. It often begins years before the classic motor features of the disease and results from slow transit through the colon or dyssynergic defecation dysfunction. Treatment should begin with conservative, non-pharmacological measures. If needed, pharmacotherapy supported by level I evidence is available. This chapter will present a typical case and subsequently review the presentation, appropriate workup, as well as both the non-pharmacological and pharmacological management of constipation in Parkinson’s disease.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Suggested Reading
Asraf W, Pfeiffer R, Park F, Lof J, Quigley E. Constipation in Parkinson’s disease: objective assessment and response to psyllium. Mov Disord. 1997;12:946–51.
Barboza J, Okun M, Moshiree B. The treatment of gastroparesis, constipation, and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth syndrome in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2015;16(16):2449–64.
Cloud L, Greene J. Gastrointestinal features of Parkinson’s disease. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep. 2011;11(4):379–84.
Fasano A, Visanji N, Liu L, Lang A, Pfeiffer R. Gastrointestinal dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease. Lancet Neurol. 2015;14:625–38.
Lehosit J, Cloud L. Gastrointestinal complications of movement disorders. In: Poewe W, Jankovic J, editors. Movement disorders in neurologic and systemic disease. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 2014.
Ondo W, Kenney C, Sullivan K, Davidson A, Hunter C, Jahan I, McCombs A, Miller A, Zesiewicz TA. Placebo-controlled trial of lubiprostone for constipation associated with Parkinson’s disease. Neurology. 2012 May;78(21):1650–4.
Zangaglia R, Martignoni E, Glorioso M, Ossoal M, Riboldazzi G, Calandrella D, Brunetti G, Pacchetti C. Macrogol for the treatment of constipation in Parkinson’s disease. A randomized placebo-controlled study. Mov Disord. 2007;22:1239–44.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Cloud, L. (2019). Treatment of Constipation in Parkinson’s Disease. In: Reich, S., Factor, S. (eds) Therapy of Movement Disorders. Current Clinical Neurology. Humana, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-97897-0_13
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-97897-0_13
Published:
Publisher Name: Humana, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-97896-3
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-97897-0
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)