Frequency of orthostatic hypotension in a community based cohort of patients with Parkinson's disease.

The frequency of orthostatic hypotension (OH) in cohorts of patients recruited through hospital Parkinson's disease (PD) clinics ranges from 16% to 58%. However, hospital based cohorts may be subject to ascertainment bias. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of OH in a community based population of PD patients and to determine the demographic features of patients with and without OH. Forty two (47%) of patients met the criteria for OH. Subjects with OH were older than those without OH, but there was no difference in PD disease duration or severity, MMSE or depression rating between the groups.