Study looks at ADRs and antipsychotics

Abstract

Almost 7% of patients ages 4–19 who were treated with antipsychotics for conduct disorders, attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or irritability and aggression that accompanied intellectual disability developed acute dystonic reactions (ADRs) to the medications, researchers have found in a retrospective chart review of 441 consecutive patients. Dystonia is an involuntary spasmodic motor syndrome. The use of second‐generation antipsychotics (SGAs) has increased as a result of the approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for children and adolescents with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism‐related irritability, and Tourette syndrome. This approval also led to off‐label use for sleep disorders, ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder, and more.