Živilė Zemeckaitė¹, Paulius Sėdžius¹, Silvija Bartašiūnaitė¹

¹ Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Academy of Medicine, Kaunas, Lithuania

 Abstract

 

Malignant neuroleptic syndrome (MNS) – is a rare, yet particularly life threatening idiosyncratic reaction of the organism to antipsychotic medication. Most of the time MNS occurs as a result of typical antipsychotic drugs blocking dopamine receptors. Since MNS is an acute and dangerous disorder, precise and timely diagnosis is of the utmost importance. All possible precautionary measures must be taken in order to minimize the negative impact MNS may have on the patient and the outcome mostly depends on choosing the proper course of treatment as soon as possible. This article encompases the clinical peculiarities, diagnostic criteria, differential diagnostics and possible courses of treatment.

Keywords: malignant neuroleptic syndrome, antipsychotics, neuroleptics, dopamine antagonists.