Parkinson's treatment ramps up in Guangzhou

A new Parkinson's disease center was established recently at First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, providing diagnosis and treatment for patients. It is the first center for Parkinson's in the province and the fifth in the country.

Xu Pingyi, head of the hospital's neurology department, said Parkinson's disease is a common degenerative disease of central nervous system and is often diagnosed in people over 60 years old.

"In China, Parkinson's occurs in 1.7 percent of men and 1.6 percent of women over 65," Xu said.

In Guangzhou alone, more than 100,000 patients have been diagnosed.

In addition to providing special multidisciplinary medical consultations, the center will host regular remote consultations with experts from home and abroad and provide other diagnostic and treatment services, Xu said.

The center has experts in rehabilitative medicine, imaging, mental health, nutrition and nursing, so Parkinson's patients have access to "customized" and "precise" medication and can often avoid, delay or reduce the side effects and complications of drugs.

"The new center, following unified disease management procedures, provides Parkinson's patients with high quality diagnosis and treatment services that benefit large numbers in Guangzhou and the region," Xu added.