Parkinson’s disease patients have a higher risk of developing pneumonia than any other medical condition.
This little-known fact is overshadowed by the more noticeable symptoms such as freezing while walking, stooped posture, tremors, and shuffling when walking. However bothersome those symptoms may be, pneumonia can be potentially life-threatening.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have discovered why pneumonia is so prevalent in Parkinson’s patients. According to their research, Parkinson’s disease impairs the coordination between the breathing and swallowing mechanism. The impaired coordination between breathing and swallowing suggests that this condition is neuromuscular-based, and explains why Parkinson’s medication doesn’t improve this function. Researchers discovered this abnormality of breathing and swallowing while taking x-rays of patients eating various types of foods. People with Parkinson’s disease breathed in twice as many times as the control group.
Their findings mark a significant step toward preventing aspiration pneumonia in Parkinson’s disease patients. Aspiration pneumonia is a leading cause of death in Parkinson’s patients. One of the therapies for this condition is to have the patient practice breathing and swallowing properly.
To learn more about this study, click here.
To investigate therapy for swallowing and breathing coordination, please contact the Swallowing Disorders Center at CIM. To make an appointment at the Swallowing Disorders Center, call (412) 647-2100. For more information about the Swallowing Disorders Center and other divisions of the UPMC Department of Otolaryngology, visit their Web site.
