Antipsychotics-Induced Akathisia: 6 Evidence-Based Treatment Options
Akathisia, a distressing side effect of antipsychotic medications, can significantly impact an individual’s quality of life.
- Characterized by an intense inner restlessness and the inability to sit still, it’s crucial to address this condition effectively to enhance patient well-being.
- Akathisia can result in poor adherence and worsening of psychiatric symptoms.
In our Live Discussions for Academy Members, Dr. Harvinder Singh breaks down the findings of a 2024 meta-analysis published in JAMA Psychiatry, which examined treatment options for antipsychotic-induced akathisia.
📽️ The following 12-minute video is an excerpt from our live session, summarizing six medications shown to be effective for antipsychotic-induced akathisia.
WATCH YOUTUBE VIDEO:
🧠 Following Medications were Found Effective:
- Mirtazapine
- Biperiden
- Vitamin B6
- Trazodone
- Mianserin
- Propranolol
- Mirtazapine, Biperiden & Vitamin B6: exhibited moderate to large effect sizes with comparable efficacy.
- Mirtazapine consistently ranked first in both the main analysis & all subgroup analyses.
- Vitamin B6 may be considered the best option in terms of the risk-benefit ratio.
- Biperiden may be the best alternative in the event of vitamin B6 and mirtazapine failure.
- Reference: JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Mar 4;7(3):e241527. (PubMed)
FOR ACADEMY MEMBERS:
🚀 [Academy Chapter] Antipsychotics Induced Akathisia: Treatment Options
Our Academy Chapter provides an in-depth analysis of this topic in the following sections:
- ❓ What is Akathisia?
- ✅ Which Antipsychotics are Low Risk for Akathisia?
- 💡 Primary Clinical Recommendations for Antipsychotics Induced Akathisia.
- 💊 Top 6 Recommended Adjunctive Medications for Antipsychotics Induced Akathisia?
- ❌ Based on most recent publications: which Adjunctive Medication(s) are not recommended for Antipsychotics Induced Akathisia?
By summarizing this data, we aim to equip clinicians with most recent literature guidance for optimizing management of akathisia.
We continue to review and summarize clinically relevant research to support your daily practice.
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