Treatment of Tardive Akathisia with Clonidine

Abstract

Two cases of tardive akathisia, which were misdiagnosed as anxiety originating from a schizophrenic disorder, had been treated with anxiolytics in addition to neuroleptics and anticholinergics. The diagnoses were changed to tardive akathisia, the anticholinergics were discontinued, and the patients were treated with clonidine successfully. In view of the similar effects of clonidine and anticholinergics, the pathophysiology of tardive akathisia must be very similar to that of tardive dyskinesia. © 1990, Kurume University School of Medicine. All rights reserved.