Caring for a loved one
with Parkinson’s-related hallucinations and/or delusions?
As a care partner, you face challenges: hallucinations and/or delusions may affect about 50% of people with Parkinson’s over the course of their disease.
You also play a vital role: you’re an expert on your loved one, and know how to see symptoms and their impact from a specific perspective.
Use the resources below to understand the full impact of Parkinson’s-related hallucinations and/or delusions, how to spot them and communicate them to a healthcare provider, and how to advocate for your loved one.
Care Partner Advice Hub
Your go-to source for dedicated care partner guidance. Parkinson’s-related hallucinations and/or delusions can lead to increased burden on care partners, including heightened responsibilities, nursing home placement, hospital visits (inpatient, emergency room, and outpatient), and even home health/hospice services.
Putting together a multidisciplinary team
Consultations may involve neurologists, psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, and other specialists. It’s important to put together a care team of experts for your loved one for comprehensive care. Use our Find a Specialist tool to help locate local experts who could be right for you and your loved one.
How to prepare for consultations
Prepare for appointments by keeping symptom diaries, listing questions, and noting medication effects to ensure productive, individualized discussions with healthcare professionals.
The importance of timely treatment for Parkinson’s-related hallucinations and delusions
The increased burden of Parkinson’s-related hallucinations and delusions is felt by patients and care partners. Don’t wait to talk to your healthcare provider. Early diagnosis can help optimize approaches to treatment.
Personalized support for care partners
Acadia Connect® offers personalized support for people prescribed NUPLAZID® and their care partners.
Get personalized support
Meet Jay and Diane
“When Jay began having hallucinations and delusions, we went to his neurologist…and he explained to us that this is a part of Parkinson’s.”
—Diane, wife and care partner of Jay
Parkinson’s-related hallucinations and/or delusions don’t affect just the person experiencing them—they can affect their care partners and family, too. It’s important to talk to your healthcare provider about an option to treat symptoms.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION and INDICATION
What is the most important information I should know about NUPLAZID?
- Medicines like NUPLAZID can raise the risk of death in elderly people who have lost touch with reality (psychosis) due to confusion and memory loss (dementia).
- NUPLAZID is not approved for the treatment of patients with dementia who experience psychosis unless their hallucinations and delusions are related to Parkinson’s disease.
Who should not take NUPLAZID?
- Do not take NUPLAZID if you have had an allergic reaction to any of the ingredients in NUPLAZID. Allergic reactions have included rash, hives, swelling of the tongue, mouth, lips, or face, throat tightness, and shortness of breath.
- Do not take NUPLAZID if you have certain heart conditions that change your heart rhythm. It is important to talk to your healthcare provider about this possible side effect. Call your healthcare provider if you feel a change in your heartbeat.
What other warnings should I know about NUPLAZID?
- QT Interval Prolongation: NUPLAZID may increase the risk of changes to your heart rhythm. This risk may increase if NUPLAZID is taken with certain other medications known to prolong the QT interval. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take or have recently taken.
Please also see What is the most important information I should know about NUPLAZID?
What medicine might interact with NUPLAZID?
- Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take. Other medicines may affect how NUPLAZID works. Some medicines should not be taken with NUPLAZID. Your healthcare provider can tell you if it is safe to take NUPLAZID with your other medicines. Do not start or stop any medicines while taking NUPLAZID without talking to your healthcare provider first.
What are the common side effects of NUPLAZID?
- The common side effects of NUPLAZID include swelling in the legs or arms, nausea, confusion, hallucination, constipation, and changes to normal walking. These are not all the possible side effects of NUPLAZID. For more information, ask your healthcare provider about this medicine.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1‑800‑FDA‑1088. You can also call Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc. at 1‑844‑4ACADIA (1‑844‑422‑2342).
Indication
NUPLAZID is a prescription medicine used to treat hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson’s disease psychosis.
How should I take NUPLAZID?
The recommended dose of NUPLAZID is one 34 mg capsule once per day, taken by mouth, with or without food.
NUPLAZID is available as 34 mg capsules and 10 mg tablets.
Please read the full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNING.