The syndrome of lethal catatonia.
Lethal catatonia (LC) is a life-threatening neuropsychiatric syndrome associated with a host of psychiatric, neurologic and medical conditions. The clinical picture is characterised by fragmented psychotic symptoms, catatonic phenomena particularly alternating stupor and agitation, altered consciousness, hyperthermia and other autonomic disturbances. A case of LC in a 19-year-old Chinese woman showing a dramatic response to lorazepam and bromocriptine is described and a brief overview of the contemporary literature is provided.
Tang
C P
CP
Department of Psychiatry, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong.
Leung
C M
CM
Ungvari
G S
GS
Leung
W K
WK
D000328:Adult; D001971:Bromocriptine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002389:Catatonia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008140:Lorazepam / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019965:Neurocognitive Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D010348:Patient Care Team
D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D001971:Bromocriptine; D008140:Lorazepam