being on first versus second-generation antipsychotic treatment. The study authors noted that many medications – antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and others – have been linked to movement disorders, antipsychotics are the class of drugs most strongly linked to tardive dyskinesia.
Other treatment-related risk factors included the early warning signs of Parkinson’s disease onset, akathisia, withdrawal emergent dyskinesia, dose and duration of exposure to dopamine receptor blocking agents (DRBAs), intermittent antipsychotic treatment, and anticholinergic treatment.
Prevention of TD should be a primary goal for caregivers, the study authors said. Additionally, second-generation antipsychotics should be preferred over first-generation antipsychotics, especially in patients with any or several of the modifiable risk factors. “
Choose the lowest-risk DRBA treatment for these patients and increase the monitoring frequency,” the study authors advised.
If you are concerned that a medication you or a loved one is taking may cause tardive dyskinesia, talk with your doctor and your pharmacist about your concerns. For more information on this condition, visit our Health Conditions page on BlackDoctor.org.