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Treatment of neuroleptic malignant syndrome with levodopa
Author(s) -
Otani K.,
Mihara K.,
Kondo T.,
Okada M.,
Kaneko S.,
Fukushima Y.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
human psychopharmacology: clinical and experimental
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.461
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1099-1077
pISSN - 0885-6222
DOI - 10.1002/hup.470070310
Subject(s) - levodopa , neuroleptic malignant syndrome , dantrolene , vomiting , medicine , amantadine , anesthesia , parkinson's disease , disease , pharmacology , calcium
Seven consecutive episodes of neuroleptic malignant syndrome in five cases were treated with 50–600 mg/day (mean 342 mg/day) of levodopa. In four episodes active pharmacological treatment was initiated with levodopa, while in the remaining three episodes it was introduced because of poor therapeutic response to dantrolene. Levodopa treatment brought complete recoveries in six out of the seven episodes. In the remaining episode, levodopa appeared to be at least partially effective, although it had to be discontinued prematurely because of vomiting. As complications of levodopa, psychotic symptoms developed in one case. The present report suggests that levodopa can be a first choice in the pharmacological treatment of neuroleptic malignant syndrome, although attention should be paid to the development of vomiting and psychotic symptoms as possible complications. It also supports the view that central hypodopaminergic states are the underlying pathophysiology in this syndrome.