Modern Health Therapy

Antipsychotic drugs (neuroleptics) atypical (or second generation) would present a risk of tardive dyskinesia almost as important as conventional antipsychotics (or 1st generation), according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. The symptoms of tardive dyskinesia are uncontrollable movement disorders (tics, muscle spasms, incoordination …) of the face, lips, tongue and sometimes the limbs or trunk.

Secured by a reputation for better security for the second generation antipsychotics, physicians are prescribing antipsychotics such as Abilify (aripiprazole), Zyprexa (olanzapine) and Seroquel (quetiapine) for the treatment of several disorders other than schizophrenia, which is the classic indication for these drugs, the authors mention.

But the reputation of being associated with a lower risk of tardive dyskinesia is based on studies in design problem, they say. The fact that atypical antipsychotics cause fewer symptoms such as akathisia (urge to move) and tremors in the first three months of treatment, gives the false impression that they cause less tardive dyskinesia, they add .

Dr. Scott Woods and his colleagues at Yale University conducted the study with 352 people taking antipsychotic medication for at least three months. They were followed every six months for 3.9 years. Their symptoms were evaluated with the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale Scale (AIMS).

In this period of almost four years, 19.7% developed symptoms of tardive dyskinesia. Taking into account in the analysis of prior exposure to certain participants in the first-generation antipsychotics, exposure to second-generation was a third lower than the first-generation antipsychotics.

Participants who were taking these drugs for affective disorders had a lower risk than those who took them for the treatment of schizophrenia.

“It is definitely sad news for patients,” says Dr. Woods. It is important that these risks are known, so that patients and doctors can make informed choices, they conclude.