Cuba marks World Parkinson's Day

 HAVANA, Cuba, Apr 11 (ACN) On the occasion of today's World Parkinson's Day, Dr. Javier Vicente Sanchez, from the Cuban Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, highlighted the efforts of the Cuban health system in the comprehensive care of people suffering from this neurodegenerative disease to improve their quality of life.

In statements to the press, the specialist in II degree in Neurology and ICU, highlighted how in the Cuban protocol the follow-up of these patients is designed from the primary level, where the importance of early diagnosis is strengthened.

He stressed that this first contact is decisive to identify not only the classic symptoms of Parkinson's disease such as rigidity, tremor and postural alterations, but also other non-motor elements such as loss of smell, sleep disorders, anxiety, depression or gastrointestinal problems.

These symptoms indicate the need for evolutionary follow-up in order to avoid major complications, said the president of the National Commission on Cerebrovascular Diseases.

One of the main challenges is to diagnose the disease in its early stages, which makes possible the implementation of therapies that, although not curative, help to retain and improve neurological functioning, Sanchez explained.

He stressed the importance of multidisciplinary support, where medical treatment, rehabilitation, psychological support and, fundamentally, family support, are intertwined to provide patients with greater wellbeing, in order to slow down the progress of a pathology that affects them both physically and emotionally.

Parkison's syndrome is the second leading cause of nervous system deterioration, affecting approximately seven million people worldwide.