Addition of carbamazepine to long-term treatment with neuroleptics may induce neuroleptic malignant syndrome.
BACKGROUND
Carbamazepine is an anticonvulsant, but also has an anti-manic effect, and recently it has been increasingly used in combination with neuroleptics. Nevertheless, there have been very few reports on the involvement of carbamazepine in the occurrence of neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS).


METHODS
A case of NMS occurring after addition of carbamazepine to long-term neuroleptic administration is described.


RESULTS
The patient had been treated with neuroleptics for about 30 years, and NMS developed when carbamazepine (400 mg/day) was added.


CONCLUSIONS
This case suggests that clinicians should consider the risk of NMS when carbamazepine is administered to patients undergoing long-term treatment with neuroleptics.
Nisijima
K
K
Department of Psychiatry, Jichi Medical School, Tochigi-Ken, Japan.
Kusakabe
Y
Y
Ohtuka
K
K
Ishiguro
T
T
D018692:Antimanic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009459:Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*
D018692:Antimanic Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D002220:Carbamazepine