What Is Parkinson’s Disease Life Expectancy?

Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disease in which the brain’s nerve cells are damaged, leading to an imbalance of motor activities. It also has quite devastating effects on an individual’s cognition and recognition abilities. 

We have a related article for you, you can read How To Prevent Parkinson’s Disease?

When it comes to life expectancy, a Parkinson’s patient has a shorter life span than the average healthy human. However, this may vary from individual to individual

What Is The Life Expectancy Of Parkinson’s Disease?

Parkinson’s disease is usually caused due to factors such as age, medical history, exposure to toxins, drugs, etc. It is triggered when the nerves start ending in the brain rapture, and there is less or nearly no dopamine production. 

Patients with Parkinson’s usually experience shaky movements, difficulty walking and standing, speech and writing difficulties, slow movements, tremors, etc.

Moreover, when it comes to life expectancy, a Parkinson’s patient has a shorter life span than the average healthy human. However, this may vary from individual to individual. 

Let’s learn about all we need to know regarding the lifespan of a Parkinson’s patient. 

Life Expectancy And Age Dynamic

Do I have time, doctor? How long do I have? Will I be able to survive? All these questions are very commonly asked by patients who have Parkinson’s. The answer to these can give or take hope from a person. 

However, it is said that research has firm grounds that Parkinson’s is age-associated. It happens to people above 60 or 50, and it is commonly seen that those affected with Parkinson’s usually live between 10 to 20 years with advanced treatment. 

However, there is no accuracy or guarantee in it. It all depends on the patient’s immunity, physical condition, and external factors such as environment or, in some cases, mental willpower and medication. 

The Life Expectancy Is Unpredictable For Patients With Parkinson’s Disease

There are cases when people were diagnosed with Parkinson’s and had lived for several years after their initial diagnosis. The patient needs to understand that Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disease that gets worse with time. And there is no assuring cure for it. 

The rate of its growth also differs from person to person. Medical research is conducting extensive research to find a cure. However, a lot has yet to be discovered. 

The symptoms can be controlled or slowed down through surgical interventions, medicines, and therapeutic methodologies, such as rigidity, tremors, slowness of movements, etc. With time the patient might face other difficulties, such as losing his sense of smell and sound and facing great hardships in completing his activities of daily living. 

In the past, when there was not sufficient medical research on Parkinson’s or it was still in progress, the average life expectancy was only 10 years. But after the discovery of levodopa, the expectancy increased.

And now, the life expectancy of a Parkinson’s patient has significantly improved due to many medical advances and research. Many believed that if the symptoms were controlled, the patient might have a chance of living a longer life. 

How Is The Expectancy Rate Measured?

The mortality rate of a person who has Parkinson’s disease is measured using a standardized mortality ratio. This allows a comparison between different populations and demographics of their life experiences. 

The analysis is made based on the varying prognosis of different patients. Many researchers have also proved that the mortality rate differs between men and women. 

Men have Parkinson’s in a more significant number in comparison to women. However, concrete evidence still needs to be provided to approve this stance. 

Expected Age:

If the average age of a patient who has Parkinson’s is 60, he might have a chance of Living 23 years more, making his age 83 years.

If the patient is above the age of 70, then life expectancies are decreased.

Is Parkinson’s Disease Fatal Or Chronic?

Parkinson’s is not a fatal disease. Instead, it is a chronic disorder. But its symptoms are highly life-threatening, especially when a person starts to have dementia. Risk factors increase if the patient already has suffered in his medical history and has a weak immune system. 

Moreover, the disease progresses, and false becomes extremely dangerous with time because it may lead to injury. In situations, an injury might lead to death. Furthermore, patients suffer while swallowing their food or saliva. This condition is known as dysphagia, leading to shortness of breath for aspiration pneumonia.

Conclusively, it all depends on the patient’s overall well-being and health, life choices, medication, body immunity, longevity, the functionality of organs, and surroundings in the environment are leaving factors that might add to or reduce the patient’s life span.