[Malignant neuroleptic syndrome: complete anticoagulant treatment or not?]

A case is reported, in which fatal pulmonary embolism complicated the course of a neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS). This syndrome includes several risk factors for the development of venous thromboembolism, such as: protracted immobility; severe rigidity causing a slowing of blood flow through the deep venous system; hypovolaemia with increased blood viscosity and activation of coagulation by rhabdomyolysis. An analysis of 115 case reports in the literature on NMS showed that 3 out of 13 patients with fatal NMS (23%) died of pulmonary embolism. The reviewed case, the literature findings and the risk factors mentioned cause us to believe that complete anticoagulant therapy may have a place in the therapeutic approach to patients with NMS.