Olanzapine-induced Respiratory Dyskinesia: A Case Report of a Rarely Recognized Antipsychotic Adverse Effect

Abstract

Respiratory dyskinesia (RD) is a rarely-recognized side effect of antipsychotic medication. There are only few reports of respiratory dyskinesia in patients with tardive dyskinesia (TD), and almost all came from developed countries. Reported here is a case of a 58-year old lady who developed tardive dyskinesia while on typical antipsychotics and subsequently respiratory dyskinesia while on olanzapine. The diagnosis of respiratory dyskinesia was missed initially by the psychiatrists when the symptoms were mild and later by other specialists even when the presentation was classical. It is recommended that patients on antipsychotics, especially those with TD should be regularly examined for RD and when any clinician is managing a patient on an antipsychotic with respiratory problems, the possibility of RD should be considered.