Antipsychotics

Antipsychotic medications, referred to as neuroleptics, are used for the treatment of psychosis, including schizophrenia. Each antipsychotic drug will carry its own risks, but antipsychotics have been linked to the muscle disorder Tardive Dyskinesia. It is still unclear how antipsychotic drugs increase the risk of Tardive Dyskinesia, but according to studies, Tardive Dyskinesia develops in 15 – 20% of patients using antipsychotics for several years. There are estimates that Tardive Dyskinesia could affect as many as 1 million Americans.

Many people in the psychiatric field have argued that while there are risks for every medication the risks of Tardive Dyskinesia were outweighed by the benefits antipsychotics brought schizophrenia patients. Critics argue otherwise, believing that especially in patients with acute schizophrenia alternative psychosocial options may provide beneficial results without risks of Tardive Dyskinesia and other drug induced disorders antipsychotics can cause.

People have continued to use antipsychotic drugs and critics wonder why they are prescribed and used at such a high rate despite the Tardive Dyskinesia risks. It is thought that the dopamine blockades in various nerve pathways of the brain cause the Tardive Dyskinesia. George Crane first brought Tardive Dyskinesia to the attention of the medical community in 1973 after witnessing antipsychotic patients suffering Tardive Dyskinesia.

Unfortunately, these documentations were not further examined and antipsychotic drugs continued to be heavily promoted, even credited with reducing the number of mental hospital residents. Mental hospital numbers were not reduced until almost ten years after neuroleptic medications were being administered, right at the time the federal government began to provide disability insurance coverage for mental disorders. For more information on antipsychotics and Tardive Dyskinesia contact us to confer with a Tardive Dyskinesia lawyer.

Antipsychotics available on the market include:

• Thorazine
• Serentil
• Mellaril
• Permitil and Prolixin
• Trilafon
• Stelazine
• Taractan
• Navane
• Clozaril
• Haldol
• Loxitane
• Moban
• Zyprexa

Partnership with pharmaceutical industry hurting antipsychotic patients?

The American Psychiatric Association has admitted its “partnership” with drug companies (Sabshin, 1992). With the continued discovery of links between antipsychotics and dangerous adverse effects, some people are wondering why risks such as Tardive Dyskinesia are not well known despite the high frequency it occurs at. Critics think that the “partnership” may be hurting patients because of the need for the association to rely on financial support that large drug companies are able to provide. For more information on a possible Tardive Dyskinesia lawsuit, contact us to confer with at Tardive Dyskinesia lawyer.