How to Treat Tardive Syndromes in Your Practice

New guidelines from the American Academy of Neurology are based on limited evidence.

The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) has published a new guideline offering several evidence-based recommendations for addressing tardive syndromes that result from use of a dopamine receptor blocker. Using standard AAN guideline methodology, the authors made the following recommendations:

Evidence is insufficient to support withdrawal of dopamine receptor blocking agents as an effective treatment for tardive syndromes or to support switching from typical to atypical dopamine receptor blockers to improve symptoms.
The highest level of existing evidence favored clonazepam and ginkgo biloba (Level B).
Although some studies cite risperidone as a treatment, others identify it as a cause.
Amantadine and tetrabenazine reached a Level C recommendat…

Reviewing Author

Michael S. Okun, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardParkinson’s Foundation; Tourette Association of America

Speaker’s BureauMedscape/WebMD CME, Movement Disorders Society CME, American Academy of Neurology CME

RoyaltiesBooks4Patients; Demos; Cambridge; Taylor and Francis; Robert Rose; Public Affairs

Grant/Research SupportNational Institutes of Health; Parkinson’s Foundation; Tourette Association of America; University of Florida Foundation

Editorial BoardsTremor and Other Hyperkinetic Movements; JAMA Neurology

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesParkinson’s Foundation (Medical Advisor)