Objective: To determine the cardiac pathologies associated with Parkinson’s disease and possible cardiac effects related to the treatment of the disease.

Background: Cardiac involvement such as cardiomyopathy, dysrhythmias, autonomic dysfunction, heart valve pathologies are frequently seen and may be cause of mortality in Parkinson’s disease.

Method: ECHO was performed by a single cardiologist in the patients who were followed up in our movement disorders outpatient clinic with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. Patients with coronary artery disease, heart failure, and previous heart surgery (bypass, coronary stent) were excluded.

Results: The mean disease duration in 47 (14F, 33M, mean age: 68.45 ± 44) Parkinson’s patients was 5.77 ± 4.18 (1-25 years). When the findings are evaluated; 31 (66%) degenerative valve, 2 (4.3%) valve stenosis, 10 (21.3%) aortic regurgitation, 3 (6.4%) mitral regurgitation were detected.
Pathology in right ventricular functions (TAPSE) was observed in 7 (14.90%) and left ventricular functions (LVEDD-LVESD) in 10 + 4 (21.28% + 8.51% = 29.79%) cases. It was determined that there were 33 (70.21%) patients with heart valve pathology. The most common cardiac pathology, the increase in Interventricular septum thickness (IVS) was found to be 28 (59.57%). It was observed that 85.71% of those with increased IVS thickness used levodopa, 67.86% used dopa agonist and 46.43% rasagiline.

Conclusion: In Parkinson’s disease, patients should be followed up clinically in terms of possible cardiac pathologies related to both the disease and treatment. In addition, it may be necessary to evaluate patients with ECHO during follow-up.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/echocardiography-findings-in-parkinsons-disease/