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Severe generalized hyperkinesia to nicardipine SR therapy
1UND School of Medicine, Fargo.
International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
|November 1, 1994
Summary
A patient experienced involuntary muscle contractions, a form of tardive dyskinesia, while taking nicardipine SR for angina. Symptoms resolved with diazepam, but the link to nicardipine remains speculative.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Nicardipine SR is a calcium channel blocker used for angina management.
- Tardive dyskinesia is a neurological disorder characterized by involuntary movements.
Observation:
- A patient on nicardipine SR developed two episodes of severe tonic-clonic muscular contractions affecting the upper extremities and torso.
- These episodes occurred without loss of consciousness, hypotension, or cardiac rhythm abnormalities.
Findings:
- Intravenous diazepam effectively controlled the involuntary muscular contractions.
- The precise cause of the dyskinesia is undetermined, and its relationship to nicardipine is speculative due to the patient's refusal of drug rechallenge.
Implications:
- This case highlights a potential, though unconfirmed, adverse effect of nicardipine.
- Further investigation may be warranted to explore the neurobiological mechanisms linking calcium channel blockers to movement disorders like tardive dyskinesia.