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The Aftercare of the Patient with the Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Dov Aizenberg
Affiliation:
Geha Psychiatric Hospital, Beilinson Medical Center, Petah Tiqva 49100, Israel
Arieh Shalev
Affiliation:
Geha Psychiatric Hospital
Hanan Munitz
Affiliation:
Geha Psychiatric Hospital

Summary

The neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is an idiosyncratic reaction to neuroleptic drugs, made up of hyperthermia, muscular rigidity, disturbance of level of consciousness and autonomic dysfunction. It is potentially lethal and should be kept in mind whilst using anti-psychotic drugs; as most patients treated by them require further anti-psychotic treatment, the clinician faces the problem of treating those patients after a NMS episode, yet reports in the literature have generally neglected the problem of late management. A patient suffering from a psychosis and NMS is presented, and a rationale for management offered.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © 1985 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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