DigiDOPA

An optimal personal adjustment of medication use for every Parkinson's patient is possible with DigiDOPA. This app registers medication times and the response to them, so that patient and doctor can jointly adjust the amount of medication and the times that they are taken, resulting in an optimal improvement of Parkinson complaints.

REGISTRATION
With the app, patients can register quickly and easily when the medication is taken. If desired, a reminder is given so that the medication moments are recorded more reliably and accurately. The drug response is measured periodically. The user records which Parkinson's complaints are present by means of three options: properly set ("on" phase), poorly set ("off" phase) or too much spontaneous movements (dyskinesias).

ANALYSIS
The measurement data is processed and visualized in a well-organized manner with graphs. It offers the patient and treating physician the opportunity to fine-tune the medication at the right time of the day and to monitor the course of the disease.

BACKGROUND
In Parkinson's patients there is a dopamine deficiency in the brain. The dopaminergic system is important, among other things, in initiating motor skills. This deficiency is supplemented by means of the drug levodopa. The intake of levodopa leads to improvement of motor skills (this is referred to as the "on" phase). When the drugs start to work and a dopamine deficiency develops, the motor skills deteriorate (this is called the "off" phase). In addition, spontaneous fluctuations in the response to the drugs may occur further along the course of the disease (dyskinesias or excess / restless movements).
The correct dosage and distribution of the medicines throughout the day determine whether the patient is properly adjusted. This is usually done on the basis of the story (in often elderly patients and a patient population with limited memory) and the findings during the outpatient visit (10-15 minutes). Important medication decisions are thus made on the basis of just a snapshot in combination with limited or sometimes unreliable information.
In patients where the medication is not set correctly, it is sometimes requested to keep a diary in which the less mobile moments (stiffness, off-moments), the good moments (un-moments) and the over-moving moments are scored on paper. In some cases, patients are even admitted to hospital for a short time for this. However, keeping a diary is very laborious and time consuming. Measurement moments can be recorded more reliably and accurately by means of an app with a warning signal for a short and simple registration. A graphical analysis shows at which times the medication can best be adjusted and ultimately what the course of the disease is over a longer period. Together with his / her treating physician, the patient can make a choice in optimizing the setting of the medication.