(L.A.) Dennis Durbin, 78, Died at a Residence

Case Number: 2022-09873

Los Angeles County is reporting the death of a 78-year-old Caucasian male that occurred at a residence.

The coroner’s office has identified the man as Dennis Durbin.

Manner of Death: Natural

Cause of Death: Parkinson’s Disease

Other Significant Condition: Hypertension

RIP DENNIS DURBIN (July 15, 1944 – September 16, 2022)

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a chronic neurologic condition which causes a gradual loss of the nerve cells in the brain that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine. Because dopamine carries signals to the part of the brain that control movement and coordination, decreased dopamine levels lead to the cardinal motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease like resting tremor, stiffness or slow movements. Because other parts of the brain and other neurotransmitters (other than dopamine) can be affected in Parkinson’s disease, other symptoms can occur as well like lightheadedness, constipation and others.

Can you die from Parkinson’s disease? The simple answer to this question is no, Parkinson’s is not fatal.

As is the case with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, complications and a patient’s comorbid conditions are more life-threatening than PD itself. For example, because Parkinson’s affects movement, balance and coordination, a patient’s risk of falling increases as the disease progresses.

Many studies have shown that individuals with PD have a higher risk of mortality than the general population, and sudden unexpected death in Parkinson’s disease (SUDPAR), an unusual but fatal event, also occurs. SUDPAR is a poorly described phenomenon.