Drug-induced movement disorders in older adults: an overview for clinical practitioners

To provide an overview of some of the most common drug-induced movement disorders (DIMD) seen in the elderly by the primary care clinician. The epidemiology, clinical presentation, differential diagnosis, treatment, risk factors, and preventive measures are presented for each DIMD.

Medical literature and research article search utilizing PubMed (National Library of Medicine), Psych INFO (American Psychological Association), CINAHL Database (CINAHL Information Systems), the Library of Congress Catalogue, and the Internet.

Reviews and articles from 1954 to 2005 concerning various movement disorders associated with medication in older adults. DATA EXTRACTIONS: Data on movement disorders associated with medications ranging from possible or controversial to well-established.

With the aging of populations in the United States and other countries, the use of medications with potential risk of precipitating movement disorders is increasing. The majority of these iatrogenic problems will be first seen in the geriatric patient in various clinical settings, typically in a primary care setting. To a large extent they will be observed in patients with mild cognitive impairment or dementia having impaired recall and reduced capacity to participate in the diagnostic interview. The challenge to clinicians is complicated by the sizable number of medications that may be involved.