Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), which most often occurs after
the use of antipsychotics, is a rare but life-threatening condition. In this
article, a 56-year-old male patient with a diagnosis of bipolar affective
disorder (BPD) who developed NMS after a COVID-19 infection will
be presented. The patient had been brought to the emergency room with
high fever, fatigue, and slowness of movements that had been going on
for two days. The examination revealed tachycardia, tachypnea, lethargy
and rigidity. Upon further investigation the COVID-19 test came out
positive and the serum levels of creatine kinase were considerably high.
He was admitted to the psychiatric ward with diagnoses of COVID-19
infection and NMS. COVID-19 infection might have been a risk
factor for NMS in this patient. Especially in patients who are taking
antipsychotic drugs, if COVID-19 is present, the risk of NMS should
be taken into consideration.
Keyword: COVID-19, Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome, Risperidone,
Antipsikotik, Enfeksiyon