[Respiratory disorders caused by tardive dyskinesia in psychogeriatric patients]

Three case reports of antipsychotically induced tardive dyskinesia with prominent respiratory symptoms in elderly behaviourally disturbed patients are presented, followed by a discussion of the clinical picture and treatment of this relatively ill-known condition. It is not uncommon for the respiratory symptoms of tardive dyskinesia to be misdiagnosed as a pulmonary or psychogenic disorder. As an overall satisfactory treatment of tardive dyskinesia does not exist at present, reinstitution or increasing the dose of antipsychotics is sometimes the only effective way to suppress severe dyskinesia.