Characteristics of patient management with neurodegenerative diseases during COVID-19 pandemic

A.A. Pilipovich

I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow

There is no evidence that neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease (PD), worsen the COVID-19 outcome. However, in the advanced PD stages, the risk of respiratory decompensation increases due to the motor and vegetative disorders. Patients with cognitive decline during pandemic have an increased risk of infection, as well as an increase in the severity of the underlying disease due to stress. The review presents patient management tactics in dementia and the doctor’s response to this behavior, as well as some additional methods that can help patients cope with stress. High-tech treatment methods that are used in the advanced PD stage do not have contraindications for coronavirus infection. Their use is recommended to continue even in the intensive care unit to ensure constant antiparkinsonian support, to avoid motor and non-motor complications in the akin etic crisis. An important task is to provide all patients with neurodegenerative diseases with conditions for communication with medical personnel, which can be achieved through telemedicine technologies that are actively developing in the context of a pandemic.

Keywords: neurodegenerative diseases, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, amantadine.

For citation: Pilipovich A.A. Characteristics of patient management with neurodegenerative diseases during COVID-19 pandemic. RMJ. 2021;5:24–29.