Related Experiment Videos
Atypical antipsychotic induced mild hypothermia
1SD Human Services Center, Yankton, SD, USA.
South Dakota Journal of Medicine
|March 8, 2003
Summary
A rare side effect of atypical antipsychotics, mild hypothermia, occurred in a schizophrenia patient on risperidone. Discontinuing risperidone and switching to clozapine resolved the hypothermia.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Psychiatry
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Atypical antipsychotics are commonly prescribed for schizophrenia.
- Hypothermia is a rare but serious adverse effect associated with some atypical antipsychotics.
- Early recognition and management are crucial for patient outcomes.
Observation:
- A 54-year-old female patient with schizophrenia presented with subtle, mild hypothermia (33.4-34.7°C).
- Symptoms included delusions and feeling chilly, initially delaying the hypothermia diagnosis.
- The patient was receiving risperidone, an atypical antipsychotic.
Findings:
- Discontinuation of risperidone led to the resolution of mild hypothermia.
- Continuation of clozapine was associated with normothermia.
- This case highlights the potential for atypical antipsychotics to induce hypothermia.
Implications:
- Clinicians should consider medication side effects, including hypothermia, in psychiatric patients with temperature dysregulation.
- Differential diagnosis for hypothermia in psychiatric patients must include iatrogenic causes.
- This case underscores the importance of vigilant monitoring for adverse drug reactions in patients on atypical antipsychotics.