title: Dantrolene--a new therapeutic approach to the neuroleptic malignant syndrome.
abstract: The Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) is a rare but severe affection (spontaneous mortality 30 to 50 per cent), associating fever, hypertonia with myolysis, and respiratory impairment. Its mechanism remains debatable: The origin of the hypertonia might be central (as phenothiazines and butyrophenones induce a blockade of dopaminergic receptors in the hypothalamus) or it might be muscular (with an impairment of the sarcoplasmic reticulum uptake of calcium in a genetically abnormal muscle, as is proven in malignant hyperthermia). Whatever the actual mechanism, the oral or intravenous administration of sodium dantrolene, a peripheral muscle relaxant agent which does not affect the neuromuscular transmission but prevents the calcium-dependent contraction of actin and myosine, has proved to be effective in three recent cases of NMS.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001480:Basal Ganglia Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003620:Dantrolene / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D006359:Heat Exhaustion / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D006974:Hypertension, Malignant / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D009459:Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D010640:Phenothiazines / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D010640:Phenothiazines; D003620:Dantrolene; D006220:Haloperidol