Drug-induced Movement Disorders

Course overview

Movement disorders, specifically the extrapyramidal symptoms are a common adverse effect of the typical and atypical antipsychotics but they can also occur with other drug types. Drug-induced movement disorders cause abnormal, involuntary, repetitive movements without affecting strength or sensation. Drug-induced extrapyramidal symptoms can be painful; however, with two notable exceptions, one being very rare, extrapyramidal symptoms do not typically have serious medical consequences. They can significantly limit a patient's functional ability, and they can easily be misdiagnosed. Drug-induced extrapyramidal symptoms can be unrecognized and undertreated, and they have been associated with patient nonadherence to medication and treatment regimen. In some cases, drug side effects may occur, with some being irreversible. This most notably occurs with the antipsychotic drugs.