Key result
A 36-year-old male with severe neuroleptic malignant syndrome showed clinical improvement with dantrolene and bromocriptine but ultimately died from ventilator-acquired pneumonia.
Why the study?
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome is a rare emergency whose pathophysiology remains poorly understood, and robust evidence-based treatment is currently lacking.
Case Report (n=1)
This case report and literature review highlights the lack of robust evidence-based treatment for neuroleptic malignant syndrome and proposes a severity-based pharmacotherapy approach using benzodiazepines, bromocriptine, amantadine, and dantrolene.
Underscores complication risks despite pharmacotherapy response in NMS; leaves open need for prospective studies on severity-based approaches.
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome is a rare, idiosyncratic emergency associated with exposure to dopamine antagonists, commonly antipsychotic drugs. The typical clinical picture consists of altered consciousness, muscular rigidity, fever, and autonomic instability. While the condition has generally been well described, the pathophysiology is still poorly understood. The importance of this case report is to highlight the lack of robust evidence-based treatment for this emergency. We submit an approach to the pharmacotherapy of neuroleptic malignant syndrome based on the available evidence.
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Rensburg et al. (2025) conducted a case report in Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (n=1). Dantrolene and bromocriptine was evaluated. A 36-year-old male with severe neuroleptic malignant syndrome showed clinical improvement with dantrolene and bromocriptine but ultimately died from ventilator-acquired pneumonia.
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