Citation

Ali HT, Soliman ZA, Aborigiba F, Caprara ALF, Rissardo JP. Afr. Health Sci. 2024; 24(1): 206-212.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, Faculty of Medicine, Makerere University)

DOI

10.4314/ahs.v24i1.25

PMID

38962328

PMCID

PMC11217839

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Trazodone is an antidepressant agent approved for treating major depressive disorders and is also prescribed for insomnia due to its sedative effect. In a few cases, trazodone was associated with parkinsonism. Herein, we describe a case of parkinsonism after a brief exposure to a moderate dose of trazodone.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a case of a patient with trazodone-induced parkinsonism in which the diagnosis was suspected after the exclusion of other common and serious causes.

METHODS: A case report of trazodone-induced parkinsonism.

CLINICAL CASE: A 58-year-old male with sleeping problems was prescribed trazodone 50 mg daily at bedtime. The subject doubled the dosage without medical advice a week later. After 14 days of trazodone treatment, he started to experience difficulty in moving his upper limbs and recurrent falling. Neuroimaging, electrodiagnostic studies, and laboratory exams were unremarkable. Trazodone was discontinued, and the patient fully recovered. Noteworthy, the patient developed a recurrence of the motor symptoms with trazodone-rechallenge.

CONCLUSION: Our case showed reversibly induced parkinsonism after a short intake of a moderate dose of trazodone which was prescribed for insomnia. The patient had a complete recovery after trazodone withdrawal. Noteworthy, the symptoms recurred upon trazodone-rechallenge.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; Male; Middle Aged; parkinsonism; Trazodone; *Trazodone/adverse effects; Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation/adverse effects; drug-induced; movement disorder; Parkinsonian Disorders/chemically induced/drug therapy; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/drug therapy/chemically induced; triazolopyridine