Shirley Taniguchi
Professor at Hospital Albert Einstein
Title: Drug addiction and treatment Compliance
Biography
Biography: Shirley Taniguchi
Abstract
Statement of the problem:
Neuroleptic-induced extrapyramidal symptoms may hinder adherence to drug rehabilitation treatment.
Methodology and Theoretical Orientations:
This study included 32 patients (mean age of 33.61±1.90) admitted to a public mental health service in São Paulo (Brazil) due to psychotic symptoms associated with illicit drug use.
Findings:
A total of 81.25% of patients were addicted to alcohol alone or alcohol plus cocaine or crack, while 18.75% were addicted to cocaine or crack cocaine.
Psychosis (73.08%), aggressive behavior (7.69%), and withdrawal syndrome (11.10%), while no effects were registered in the remaining 7.69%.
Among cocaine abusers, we observed hallucinations and delirium (50%), cardiovascular effects (25.00%), and psychomotor agitation (12.50%), while no effects were observed in the remaining 12.50%.
Among crack users, we observed hallucinations and delirium (57.14%), and cardiovascular effects (28.57%), while no effects were observed among the remaining 14.28% of patients.
Hallucinations, delirium, psychomotor agitation and psychosis were treated with typical or atypical neuroleptics (96.88%) or anticonvulsants (3.12%).
A total of 80.64% of patients receiving neuroleptics had extrapyramidal symptoms (acute dystonia akathisia, pharmacological parkinsonism), which were treated with a centrally acting anticholinergic drug-biperiden (60%) or anticonvulsants/anti histaminics (40%).