Can anesthesia be harmful for people with parkinson's?

Potentially: I don't know of a direct effect of anesthesia on patients with pd. They are very sensitive to anesthesia, and the management of the pd medicines is critical. Surgery/anesthesia can be a significant (short term) set back for patients.

Yes: The neuro effects of parkinson's as well as the various effects that the anesthetic may have on the drugs used for treatment make this a higher risk anesthetic with higher potential morbidity (serious adverse outcome). The anesthesiologist should be current in how to treat and manage someone with pd. The anesthesia dept should be made aware of your condition before the day of surgery.

Not with care.: Some of the medications that are commonly used in anesthesia can interact with the medications you are taking for parkinson's disease. However, the anesthetic itself will not worsen your symptoms. Please discuss all your medications with your anesthesiologist prior to the operation, in this way you will be able to choose the correct medications for your surgery. Hope that this helps.