Tardive Dyskinesia

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Tardive Dyskinesia

Tardive dyskinesia is a very serious and often irreversible movement disorder, often caused by drugs that patients use to control their psychiatric disorders. The words tardive dyskinesia describe the involuntary movements that occur in patients who take long-term neuroleptic drugs such as Reglan.

Many people diagnosed with tardive dyskinesia have schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder or bipolar disorder. The neuroleptic drugs linked to tardive dyskinesia are used to treat these disorders, as well as some gastrointestinal problems.

Causes of Tardive Dyskinesia

The cause of tardive dyskinesia appears to be related to damage to the system that uses and processes the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine can be delivered as a medication that acts on the sympathetic nervous system, producing effects such as elevated heart rate and blood pressure.

Tardive dyskinesia can sometimes be the result of health care professionals who do not fully explore treatment options or consider the possibility of tardive dyskinesia when prescribing medications.

Medications That May Cause Tardive Dyskinesia

Widely available Reglan, a medicine for gastroesophageal reflux, has been re-investigated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a cause of tardive dyskinesia. In February 2009, the FDA issued an advisory requiring the manufacturers of Reglan (generic name, metoclopramide,) to include a Black Box warning about the link between the drug and tardive dyskinesia.

Symptoms of Tardive Dyskinesia

The symptoms of tardive dyskinesia are similar to those of many other neurological disorders, including Tourett syndrome. Therefore, reaching a diagnosis of tardive dyskinesia is not always easy.

Doctors of first-time patients may mistake tardive dyskinesia for a mixture of several other dyskinesia disorders, unless precise documentation regarding the tardive dyskinesia exists, including the patient’s complete medication history. Diagnosing certain types of patients with tardive dyskinesia may be easier – the risks are higher for women, the elderly and African-Americans.

People diagnosed with tardive dyskinesia may experience repetitive, involuntary movements such as:

Grimacing
lip smacking
rapid eye blinking
tongue protrusion

Tardive dyskinesia can also cause rapid movements of the arms, legs and torso. Some people with tardive dyskinesia make impaired finger movements similar to playing guitar or piano.

Treatment for Tardive Dyskinesia

Although tardive dyskinesia is linked to neuroleptic drugs, such as Reglan, its treatment is not as simple as discontinuing the use of those drugs. Tardive dyskinesia sufferers often rely on their neuroleptic medication for severe conditions, and while treating the tardive dyskinesia may require changing medications, the original condition might not respond to other drugs.

Additionally, tardive dyskinesia may remain long after discontinuation of the neuroleptic drugs.

Have You or a Loved One Been Diagnosed With Tardive Dyskinesia?

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Tardive Dyskinesia after being treated with Reglan or another prescription medication, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. To schedule a free case evaluation, contact a tardive dyskinesia lawyer today.

An experienced attorney for defective drugs will evaluate your injuries and fight to recover all the monetary compensation you are entitled to. You may be eligible to recover compensation for physical, emotional and financial losses.

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