Hypothermia Developing during Neuroleptic Treatment

Neuroleptic drugs have been known to affect the regulation of body temperature [1]. Hyperthermia is often seen as a sign of neuroleptic malignant syndrome. However, hypothermia developing in patients with mental disorders during neuroleptic treatment has been reported less frequently [2]. This report describes four patients with psychiatric disease who developed hypothermia during neuroleptic treatment.

References

• 1 Maier U, Aigner J M, Klein H E. Hypothermie durch Neuroleptika.  Nervenarzt. 1994;  65 488-491
• 2 Harada H. A Schizophrenic patient who developed extreme hypothermia after an increase in the dose of haloperidol. A case report.  Jpn J Psychiatry Neurol. 1994;  48 595-598
• 3 Ito H. Simultaneous Measurement of temperatures at different sites in clinical entities displaying hypothermia.  The Autonomic Nervous System. 1990;  27 281-291
• 4 Hazama S. Mild hypothermia in patient with senile dementia.  Jpn J Geriat. 1992;  29 47-53
• 5 Young D M. Risk factors for hypothermia in psychiatric patients.  Ann Clin Psychiatry. 1996;  8 93-97
• 6 Loughnane T. Hypothermia in a young adult.  Lancet. 1968;  II 455-456
• 7 Yamawaki S, Lai H, Horita A. Dopaminergic and serotonergic mechanisms of thermoregulation. Medication and thermal effects of apomorphine and dopamine.  J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1983;  227 383-388
• 8 Noto T, Hashimoto H. Hypothermia caused by antipsychotic drugs in a schizophrenia patient.  J Clin Psychiatry. 1987;  48 77-78