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Trazodone and exacerbation of psychotic symptoms: an unfamiliar link

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 December 2014

M. Osman  and
M. Kilduff
M. Osman*
Affiliation:
Millmount Community Mental Health Services, St Vincent’s Hospital Fairview, Dublin, Ireland
M. Kilduff
Affiliation:
Millmount Community Mental Health Services, St Vincent’s Hospital Fairview, Dublin, Ireland
*
*Address for correspondence: M. Osman, Senior Registrar in General Adult/Academic Psychiatry, Millmount Community Mental Health Services, St Vincent’s Hospital Fairview, Richmond Road, Convent Avenue, Fairview, Dublin 3, Ireland. (Email: [email protected])
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Abstract

Objective

In this case report we attempt to emphasize the unfamiliar link between trazodone and relapse of psychotic symptoms.

Method

Case report and literature review of relevant papers.

Results

We report a case of a 78-year-old woman with an established diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia who has experienced an exacerbation of positive psychotic symptoms following initiation of 50 mg dailydose of trazodone. We noted that psychotic symptoms abated following discontinuation of trazodone.

Conclusion

Trazodone use in patients in remission from schizophrenia may be associated with relapse of psychotic symptoms and caution is required.

Keywords

Psychotic disordersrecurrenceschizophreniasleep initiation and maintenance disorderstrazodone
Type
Case Report
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 32 , Issue 4 , December 2015 , pp. 337 - 339
Copyright
© College of Psychiatrists of Ireland 2014 

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