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Case Reports
. 2018 Feb 13:11:1179547618758022.
doi: 10.1177/1179547618758022. eCollection 2018.

Management of Tizanidine Withdrawal Syndrome: A Case Report

A Suárez-Lledó  1 , A Padullés  1 , T Lozano  1 , S Cobo-Sacristán  1 , M Colls  1 , R Jódar  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Management of Tizanidine Withdrawal Syndrome: A Case Report

A Suárez-Lledó et al. Clin Med Insights Case Rep. .

Abstract

Most drugs that act on the central nervous system (CNS) require dose titration to avoid withdrawal syndrome. Tizanidine withdrawal syndrome is caused by adrenergic discharge due to its α2-agonist mechanism and is characterized by hypertension, reflex tachycardia, hypertonicity, and anxiety. Although tizanidine withdrawal syndrome is mentioned as a potential side effect of cessation, it is not common and there have been few reports. We present the case of a 31-year-old woman with tizanidine withdrawal syndrome after discontinuing medication prescribed for a muscle contracture (tizanidine). She showed high adrenergic activity with nausea, vomiting, generalized tremor, dysthermia, hypertension, and tachycardia. Symptoms were reversed and successful reweaning was achieved by restarting tizanidine followed by slow downward titration. Withdrawal syndrome should be considered when drugs targeting the CNS are suddenly stopped. Weaning regimens should be closely monitored for acute withdrawal reactions.

Keywords: Tizanidine; adrenergic; hypertension; imidazole; neurotransmitters; withdrawal syndrome.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of conflicting interests:The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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