Treatment of drug-induced dystonic reactions

Thirty-two cases of drug-induced dystonic reaction were treated by the author with diphenhydramine or benztropine mesylate, intramuscularly or intravenously, in a prospective, nonrandomized fashion. Recovery time with the two drugs was compared. Benztropine mesylate lessened recovery time in this case series. An epidemiological study of drug-induced dystonic reactions found that most of the patients were drug abusers. The commonest offensive agent in this case series was haloperidol. The most common dystonic reactions seen were buccolingual and torticollic.