Does Parkinson’s disease affect life expectancy?

  Although Parkinson’s disease is not an incurable disease, it can seriously affect the daily life and work of patients and even cause disability. As a result, some patients often worry that having Parkinson’s disease will shorten their life span.  We say that Parkinson’s disease itself is not a fatal disease, generally does not affect life expectancy, and with the continuous innovation and improvement of treatment methods and levels, more and more patients are able to maintain a high level of motor function and quality of life for a longer period of time. According to statistics, before the application of levodopa treatment, the life expectancy of Parkinson’s disease patients was shortened and their mortality rate was three times higher than that of the general population. After the application of levodopa replacement therapy, the mortality rate of patients with Parkinson’s disease is approximately the same as that of the general population. Therefore, these patients should not have to worry about the impact on their life expectancy if they switch to Parkinson’s disease. However, if patients do not receive timely and reasonable treatment, it is easy to lead to a decline in physical function, even to the point of being unable to take care of themselves, with a relatively high disability rate and a long disease course, causing great pain to patients and a serious burden to their families. In the end, various complications will appear, so early detection and early treatment to avoid delaying the disease and causing complications of the disease.