A 22-year-old woman is brought to the emergency department for bizarre behavior over the past week. Her parents state that she has been "talking nonsense" nonstop, laughing for no reason, and has not slept for several days. During triage, the patient attempted to hit a staff member, resulting in administration of haloperidol. While awaiting further evaluation, the parents alert the nurse that the patient is starting to "make weird faces" while sticking out her tongue. Medical history is noncontributory, and the patient takes no medications. Urine drug screen is positive for cannabis and opiates. Which of the following is the most likely explanation for this patient's motor symptoms?

Question

A 22-year-old woman is brought to the emergency department for bizarre behavior over the past week.  Her parents state that she has been "talking nonsense" nonstop, laughing for no reason, and has not slept for several days.  During triage, the patient attempted to hit a staff member, resulting in administration of haloperidol.  While awaiting further evaluation, the parents alert the nurse that the patient is starting to "make weird faces" while sticking out her tongue.  Medical history is noncontributory, and the patient takes no medications.  Urine drug screen is positive for cannabis and opiates.   Which of the following is the most likely explanation for this patient's motor symptoms?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: Acute dystonic response is defined by the abrupt and involuntary contraction of a large muscle group. It is an extrapyramidal symptom that is a typical side effect of antipsychotic drugs, particularly high-potency, first-generation antipsychotics like haloperidol.

A 22-Year-Old Woman Is Brought to the Emergency Department for Bizarre