Beneficial effects of dantrolene in the treatment of neuroleptic malignant syndrome: a report of two cases.
Two schizophrenic patients developed muscular rigidity, stupor, and hyperpyrexia consistent with neuroleptic malignant syndrome, 8 to 10 days after starting haloperidol therapy. Muscle rigidity was not affected by etybenzatropine or diazepam, but dantrolene, a direct-acting skeletal muscle relaxant, provided muscle relaxation with a concomitant decrease of fever and serum creatine kinase. Neuroleptic malignant syndrome and malignant hyperthermia are clinically similar, and dantrolene is effective in both; suggesting a muscular origin of fever in these two diseases.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001480:Basal Ganglia Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy; D003620:Dantrolene / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005334:Fever / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009127:Muscle Rigidity / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy
D003620:Dantrolene; D006220:Haloperidol