title: Acute laryngeal dystonia: a persisting psychiatric emergency.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Acute laryngeal dystonia is one of the most life-threatening medication side effects in psychiatry. It is rare and predominately caused by the use of antipsychotics in at-risk individuals. Within days of a patient's initial presentation, several antipsychotics can be administered for the purposes of acute sedation and ongoing pharmacotherapy. In this case report, we describe a 27-year-old at-risk male, who developed acute laryngeal dystonia in the context of antipsychotic polypharmacy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinicians should take into account recent sedation and ongoing antipsychotic use in patients at risk of developing acute laryngeal dystonia. Awareness of this condition and prompt treatment with parenteral anticholinergic medication can be lifesaving.
authors.affiliation: Psychiatry Registrar, Shellharbour Hospital, Mount Warrigal, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: May
authors.affiliation: Senior Staff Specialist, Shellharbour Hospital, Mount Warrigal, NSW, Australia Ali.Altaie@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Taie
authors.affiliation: Staff Specialist, Shellharbour Hospital, Mount Warrigal, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Vikas
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Garg
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004421:Dystonia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007821:Laryngeal Muscles / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D019338:Polypharmacy; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents
keywords: acute laryngeal dystonia; antipsychotic; polypharmacy