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Case Reports
. 2022 Mar 31;14(3):e23695.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.23695. eCollection 2022 Mar.

A Case Report on Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS): How to Approach an Early Diagnosis

Tanya Paul  1   2 , Alvina Karam  1   3 , Trissa Paul  4   5 , Hanyou Loh  6 , Gerardo F Ferrer  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

A Case Report on Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS): How to Approach an Early Diagnosis

Tanya Paul et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a life-threatening neurological emergency that has been observed to occur in some patients following the administration of anti-dopaminergic agents or the rapid withdrawal of dopaminergic medications. In this report, the authors present a case of a 51-year-old male patient with a known history of cocaine abuse, who was given quetiapine during his hospitalization. This precipitated an episode of NMS that eventually concluded uneventfully due to quick diagnosis and management. Prompt recognition of the condition is required to reduce significant morbidity and mortality. Ultimately, maintaining vigilance for the clinical features of NMS is crucial for timely diagnosis and intervention.

Keywords: antipsychotics; dopamine; neuroleptic malignant syndrome (nms); quetiapine; schizophrenia.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

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