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Neuroleptic malignant syndrome or haloperidol toxicity: a case report and differential diagnosis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 April 2007

Ljiljana J Verner*
Affiliation:
Department of Anaesthesiology, Hannover Medical School
Claudia L Kollmar
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Germany
Detlef E Dietrich
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Germany
*
Correspondence to: Prof. Dr. med. D. Dietrich, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str.1, 30625 Hannover, Germany. Tel: +49 511 532 6571; E-mail: Dietrich.Detlef@mh-hannover.de
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Abstract

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a severe and potentially lethal complication of antipsychotic medication. Differential diagnosis is extremely important because severe catatonia, which has some simi??larities to NMS, may also be lethal but requires antipsychotic treatment. We present a case report of a 62-year-old woman who was admitted to hospital for differential diagnosis of NMS and suffered from severe haloperidol intoxication, which complicated the diagnostic evaluation. Further differential diagnostic aspects are summarised and their therapeutic implications are outlined.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © NAPICU 2007

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