Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal (Aug 2013)

Chloroquine-induced Acute Dystonic Reactions after a Standard Therapeutic Dose for Uncomplicated Malaria

  • Olusegun A. Busari,
  • Joseph Fadare,
  • Segun Agboola,
  • Olusegun Gabriel,
  • Olayide Elegbede,
  • Yusuf Oladosu

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 3
pp. 476 – 478

Abstract

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Acute dystonic reactions (ADR) are extrapyramidal effects that usually occur after the initiation of a wide variety of drugs or triggering factors besides neuroleptics. We report the case of a 54-year-old man who was admitted with an approximately 10-hour history of muscle twitching around the eyes, face and neck after he took the first dose of oral chloroquine phosphate (1 g [600 mg base]) prescribed for uncomplicated malaria. He was given intravenous diazepam (10 mg statum) followed by 10 mg of oral diazepam 3 times a day. The symptoms improved within 30 minutes of treatment, and he was discharged 14 hours later after a complete recovery.

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