Tardive Dyskinesia

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Neuroleptic Drugs & Tardive Dyskinesia

A number of studies have surfaced recently that link the occurrence of an involuntary-movement disorder known as Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) to the use of neuroleptics drugs.

What is Tardive Dyskinesia?

Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a very serious and often irreversible involuntary-movement disorder. It is often caused by the neuroleptic drugs that patients use to control their psychiatric disorders.

What are Neuroleptic Drugs?

Neuroleptic drugs are a type of medication used to treat symptoms of psychosis. For many years, neuroleptic drugs were prescribed only for patients who were schizophrenic or otherwise severely mentally disturbed.

Many people diagnosed with tardive dyskinesia have:

Schizophrenia
Schizoaffective disorder
Bipolar disorder

The neuroleptic drugs linked to tardive dyskinesia are used to treat these disorders, as well as some gastrointestinal problems.

Recent Uses of Neuroleptic Drugs

Neuroleptics drugs (or neuroleptics) have recently become more widely prescribed for patients who have:

Alzheimer’s disease
Autism
or are simply deemed “difficult to control”

Medications classified as neuroleptics work by altering the brain’s neurotransmitters, restricting the amount of transmitted dopamine. The way that neuroleptic drugs work remains somewhat unknown and is often linked to the idea that people with psychoses are experiencing chemical imbalances in their brains, which are then corrected by the neuroleptics.

What is the Link Between Tardive Dyskinesia and Neuroleptic Drugs?

It is assumed (but not proven) that the dopamine blockades in the brain’s nerve pathways are responsible for the unwanted effects of neuroleptics, including tardive dyskinesia. In most cases, patients who have been prescribed these kinds of drugs are instructed to remain on neuroleptic drugs for the rest of their lives.

Many doctors feel that side effects, even ones as severe as TD, aren’t as damaging as the problems addressed by the neuroleptics. It appears that some physicians do not even warn their patients that neuroleptics have been connected to TD.

Which Antipsychotic Medications are Neuroleptics?

Antipsychotic medications classified as neuroleptics include the following:

Reglan (metoclopramide)
Thorazine
Serentil
Mellaril
Permitil
Prolixin
Trilafon
Stelazine
Taractan
Navane
Clozaril
Haldol
Loxitane
Moban
Zyprexa
Orap
Seroquel
Risperdal
Geodon
Compazine
Etrafon
Triavil
Inapsine
Phenergan

What Should I Do if I Believe a Neuroleptic Drug is Affecting Me or a Family Member?

Patients and their loved ones should seriously consider the risks involved in using neuroleptics and should come to their own conclusions about the usefulness of the drug versus its potentially devastating side effects.

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, please contact us 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. Contact a Tardive Dyskinesia attorney today.

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