Missed neuroleptic malignant syndrome: Authors' reply

Olanzapine-Induced Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a rare but life-threatening idiosyncratic side effect resulting from neuroleptic drugs. NMS mainly occurs in patients treated with high-potency typical antipsychotics, but rarely caused by atypical antipsychotics. Although NMS is less common with atypical antipsychotic, but it seems that its incidence is rising due to increased administration of such drug...

Lesson of the Week Missed neuroleptic malignant syndrome

Case report A 67 year old woman was brought to the accident and emergency department having been found on the floor by a neighbour. She had a history of chronic obstructive airways disease and cardiac failure secondary to valvular heart disease. She had had depressive psychosis for many years and had been treated intermittently with oral trifluoperazine. Her other current drugs included dothiep...

The Authors’ Reply

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome.

The neuroleptic malignant syndrome is an uncommon, severe illness that consists of fever, muscular rigidity, and stupor. Various neuroleptics have been associated with the disease. A detailed neurological, medical, and neuropathological evaluation of this case was performed. Presumably, the syndrome is secondary to biochemical dysfunction of the basal ganglia and possible of the hypothalmus.

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome.

We present the case of a 35-year-old man who developed symptoms of the neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) after taking prescribed, moderately high, therapeutic doses of haloperidol. When brought to the emergency department, he was comatose, hypotensive, and had rigid muscle tone and a core body temperature of 42.2 C. Although initial treatment was supportive, intubation, ventilator support, a...