the impact of such symptoms on those who serve the public, such as healthcare workers, police officers, teachers, or other figures of authority and leadership.
Both the young and elderly can be impacted by TD, yet certain risk factors stand out:
- Females, especially post-menopausal
- Age over 55
- African American or Asian American
- Abuse of alcohol or drugs
What’s even less known is Tardive Dyskinesia is more likely to occur in Africans and African Americans than Caucasians as presented in a paper on psychiatryonline.org.
It describes how a greater number of African Americans are slow to metabolize antipsychotic drugs than Caucasians and, therefore, are prescribed higher doses of these drugs. Because of these increased doses of medication, this may be associated with the increase in Tardive Dyskinesia in Africans and African Americans.
TD is diagnosed by a physical exam, including the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS). A medical provider will attempt to rule out conditions such as cerebrovascular accidents (strokes), cerebral palsy, Huntington’s Disease, Parkinson’s, or Tourette’s syndrome, which can also be characterized by involuntary facial tics, body movements, or uncontrollable yelling and cursing.
Patients with TD may experience anxiety, depression, isolation, mobility challenges, or difficulty accomplishing activities of daily living (e.g.: brushing teeth or shaving) or independent activities of daily living (e.g.: shopping or driving).
TD is a potential side effect of