Prevention of acute dystonic reactions in patients beginning high-potency neuroleptics.

The authors performed a prospective double-blind study of 39 inpatients beginning high-potency neuroleptics. Patients were randomly assigned to a 7-day course of benztropine or placebo in addition to a neuroleptic. Of 17 patients receiving placebo, eight (47%) suffered an acute dystonic reaction; of 22 patients receiving benztropine, none suffered this reaction--a highly significant difference. The authors also found minimal anticholinergic toxicity attributable to the addition of benztropine to the neuroleptic regimen. These results suggest that an initial 7-day prophylaxis with benztropine is a high-benefit, low-risk adjunctive treatment to neuroleptic therapy.