In this session of Dr. Gilbert Hosts, special guest Dr. Jose-Alberto Palma discussed blood pressure and autonomic dysfunction and answered audience questions live.

The autonomic nervous system includes the nerves located throughout the body that control automatic body functions. Due to dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system, many people with PD experience difficulties with blood pressure control. Drops in blood pressure (called neurogenic orthostatic hypotension, or NOH) can cause dizziness, or even fainting which can not only affect quality of life but can also lead to injury. Certain types of cardiac rhythm changes can occur in PD as well. Autonomic dysfunction in PD also commonly leads to constipation, urinary dysfunction, sexual dysfunction, poor temperature control, and sweating abnormalities— all of which are important issues to learn how to manage. 

Watch the broadcast now on APDA’s YouTube Channel and be sure to subscribe to the APDA YouTube channel for more informative and important resources for Parkinson’s disease.

ABOUT OUR SPEAKER: DR. JOSE-ALBERTO PALMA

Dr. Jose-Alberto Palma is a Research Professor in the Department of Neurology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine in New York City. He earned his MD and PhD from the University of Navarra in Spain. Dr. Palma’s research focuses on the description of the autonomic phenotype and the search for biomarkers in patients with neurodegenerative autonomic disorders, including multiple system atrophy (MSA), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and pure autonomic failure (PAF).

Dr. Palma is one of the international coordinators of the Natural History Study of Synucleinopathies. He is the principal or co-investigator in many clinical trials for neurogenic orthostatic hypotension and multiple system atrophy as well as in the development of biomarkers of disease diagnosis and progression.