Malignant catatonia and neuroleptic malignant syndrome in relation to disulfiram overdose

Abstract

Disulfiram is a widely used drug in the management of alcohol dependence syndrome as an aversive agent. Although a drug of high efficacy, it has a large number of side effects. Disulfiram-induced catatonia is a known rare side effect of the drug and herein we report a case of what appeared to be the sequential development of malignant catatonia and neuroleptic malignant syndrome in a patient with a diagnosis of alcohol dependence syndrome and co-morbid paranoid schizophrenia following disulfiram overdose. Clinicians need to be vigilant on the emergence of such rare side effects.

Keywords

• Disulfiram
• malignant catatonia
• neuroleptic malignat syndrome