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Intravenous Diazepam in Drug-Induced Dystonic Reactions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Amos D. Korczyn  and
Gerald J. Goldberg
Amos D. Korczyn
Affiliation:
The National Hospital for Nervous Diseases, Queen Square, London. Goodmayes Hospital, Ilford, Essex. On leave of absence from the Department of Neurology, Bielinson Hospital and the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Tel-Aviv University Medical School, Israel
Gerald J. Goldberg
Affiliation:
Goodmayes Hospital, Ilford, Essex
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Extract

Acute dystonic reactions, including oculogyric crises, were once thought to be pathognomonic of encephalitis lethargica, but the clinical use of the phenothiazines has led to the recognition that similar symptoms can be produced by these drugs. Some phenothiazines, such as trifluoperazine, fluphenazine, prochlorperazine and perphenazine (Ayd, 1960; Christian and Paulson, 1958; Hollister, 1957; Waugh and Metts, 1960), are thought to cause these effects more frequently, especially when given parenterally. Other non-phenothiazine tranquillizers, for example haloperidol, also produce these reactions. not un-commonly. Certain patients, particularly the young and perhaps the genetically predisposed, are more likely to be affected.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 121 , Issue 560 , July 1972 , pp. 75 - 77
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1972 

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