Cardiac Changes in Early Parkinson's Disease: A Follow-Up Study

Summary

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the long-term effects of a drug called carvedilol, as measured by serial brain scans in subjects with REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD). Researchers want to know the rate of RBD conversion to Parkinson’s Disease (PD) or other related disorders. The study focuses on patients enrolled in the parent study, The Effect of Adrenergic Blocker Therapy on Cardiac and Striatal Transporter Uptake In Pre-Motor And Symptomatic Parkinson’s Disease and will follow up on participants’ condition progression.

Based on the results of previous scans from the parent study, participants will be placed in one of three groups. Group 1 will discontinue the study medication. Those in Group 2 or 3 will continue receiving the highest tolerated dose of carvedilol for six months. At any follow-up visit after month 6, medication will be permanently discontinued if data shows no changes or deterioration of the scans (Group 3).

Carvedilol is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for various conditions, but its use in this study is investigational.