Tardive dyskinesia and intellectual disability: an examination of demographics and topography in adults with dual diagnosis and atypical antipsychotic use.
Use the quick MEDS scale to screen adults with ID for tardive dyskinesia while they live on atypical antipsychotics.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team watched adults with intellectual disability who take atypical antipsychotics every day.
They used the MEDS scale to map how tardive dyskinesia looks in this group.
All adults lived in group homes, so staff helped collect the data.
What they found
The paper simply describes the body parts that move and how often.
It does not test a treatment or count how many people got better.
How this fits with other research
Hilton et al. (2010) already said “use MEDS for side-effect checks,” so Chou et al. (2010) put that advice into action.
Raslear et al. (1992) used a force plate in a lab to spot TD sway; C et al. show you can catch the same problem in a bedroom with MEDS.
Axmon et al. (2017) later found older adults with ID still get lots of antipsychotics; C et al. helps you watch for TD in that exact crowd.
Why it matters
If you serve adults with ID on risperidone or olanzapine, add the five-minute MEDS scan to quarterly meds review. Spotting lip smacking or finger flicking early gives the psychiatrist data to lower the dose or switch drugs before the movements become permanent.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Atypical antipsychotic medications are commonly used in large-scale residential care facilities for adults with developmental disabilities. While the benefits of this class of psychotropics are noted, debate exists whether the side effect profile of these medications outweigh their therapeutic benefit, especially in those who use them long-term. Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) is a movement disorder often caused by a history of neuroleptic use which can cause deleterious effects. Due to the seriousness of TD and the impact on an individual's quality of life, it is necessary to identify predisposing factors for this condition in a population of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The current study seeks to expand the literature related to TD and atypical antipsychotic medication utilizing a measure of medication side effects, the Matson Evaluation of Drug Side Effects (MEDS). Results and implications for assessment and practice are discussed.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2010 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2010.01.017