Neuroleptic malignant syndrome — MCQs

A 16-year-old girl is brought to the emergency department by her friends who say that she took a whole bottle of her mom’s medication. They do not know which medication it was she ingested. The patient is slipping in and out of consciousness and is unable to offer any history. Her temperature is 39.6°C (103.2°F), the heart rate is 135/min, the blood pressure is 178/98 mm Hg, and the respiratory rate is 16/min. On physical examination, there is significant muscle rigidity without tremor or clonus. Which of the following is the best course of treatment for this patient?

A 31-year-old man is brought to the emergency department because of fever and increasing confusion for the past day. He has bipolar disorder with psychotic features and hypothyroidism. Current medications are lithium, haloperidol, and levothyroxine. He drinks one beer with dinner every night. His speech is confused and he is oriented to person only. His temperature is 40°C (104°F), pulse is 124/min, and blood pressure is 160/110 mm Hg. He appears acutely ill. Examination shows diaphoresis and muscle rigidity. Deep tendon reflexes are 1+ bilaterally. There is minor rigidity of the neck with full range of motion. His lungs are clear to auscultation. The abdomen is soft and nontender. His leukocyte count is 15,100/mm3 and serum creatine kinase activity is 1100 U/L. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

A 26-year-old man is brought to the hospital by his wife who complains that her husband has been behaving oddly for the past few hours. The patient’s wife says that she has known him for only 4 months. The wife is unable to give any past medical history. The patient’s speech is difficult to follow, and he seems very distracted. After 15 minutes, he becomes agitated and starts to bang his head on a nearby pillar. He is admitted to the psychiatric ward and is given an emergency medication, after which he calms down. In the next 2 days, he continues to become agitated at times and required 2 more doses of the same drug. On the 4th day of admission, he appears very weak, confused, and does not respond to questions appropriately. His vital signs include: temperature 40.0°C (104.0°F), blood pressure 160/95 mm Hg, and pulse 114/min. On physical examination, he is profusely diaphoretic. He is unable to stand upright or even get up from his bed. Which of the following is the mechanism of action of the drug which most likely caused this patient’s current condition?

A 61-year-old man with a history of type 1 diabetes mellitus and depression is brought to the emergency department because of increasing confusion and fever over the past 14 hours. Four days ago, he was prescribed metoclopramide by his physician for the treatment of diabetic gastroparesis. His other medications include insulin and paroxetine. His temperature is 39.9°C (103.8°F), pulse is 118/min, and blood pressure is 165/95 mm Hg. Physical examination shows profuse diaphoresis and flushed skin. There is generalized muscle rigidity and decreased deep tendon reflexes. His serum creatine kinase is 1250 U/L. Which of the following drugs is most likely to also cause this patient's current condition?

A 16-year-old college student presents to the emergency department with a 3-day history of fever, muscle rigidity, and confusion. He was started on a new medication for schizophrenia 2 months ago. There is no history of sore throat, burning micturition, or loose motions. At the hospital, his temperature is 38.6°C (101.5°F); the blood pressure is 108/62 mm Hg; the pulse is 120/min, and the respiratory rate is 16/min. His urine is cola-colored. On physical examination, he is sweating profusely. Treatment is started with antipyretics and intravenous hydration. Which of the following is most likely responsible for this patient's condition?

A 22-year-old man presents to the emergency department with a 2-day history of fever and altered mentation. He reports fever without chills and rigors and denies sore throat, abdominal pain, headache, loose stool, burning micturition, or seizures. He has a history of tics and is currently on a low dose of haloperidol. At the hospital, his temperature is 39.6°C (103.2°F); the blood pressure is 126/66 mm Hg, and the pulse is 116/min. He is profusely sweating and generalized rigidity is present. He is confused and disoriented. He is able to move all his limbs. Normal deep tendon reflexes are present with bilateral downgoing plantar responses. A brain MRI is unremarkable. Urine toxicology is negative. The white blood cell count is 14,700/mm3. Creatine kinase is 5600 U/L. Lumbar puncture is performed and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) studies show: CSF opening pressure 22 cm H20 CSF white blood cells 4 cells/mm3 CSF red blood cells 0 cells/mm3 CSF glucose 64 mg/dL CSF protein 48 mg/dL Serum glucose 96 mg/dL What is the most likely diagnosis?

A 19-year-old woman, accompanied by her parents, presents after a one-week history of abnormal behavior, delusions, and unusual aggression. She denies fever, seizures or illicit drug use. Family history is negative for psychiatric illnesses. She was started on risperidone and sent home with her parents. Three days later, she is brought to the emergency department with fever and confusion. She is not verbally responsive. At the hospital, her temperature is 39.8°C (103.6°F), the blood pressure is 100/60 mm Hg, the pulse rate is 102/min, and the respiratory rate is 16/min. She is extremely diaphoretic and appears stiff. She has spontaneous eye-opening but she is not verbally responsive and she is not following commands. Laboratory studies show: Sodium 142 mmol/L Potassium 5.0 mmol/L Creatinine 1.8 mg/dl Calcium 10.4 mg/dl Creatine kinase 9800 U/L White blood cells 14,500/mm3 Hemoglobin 12.9 g/dl Platelets 175,000/mm3 Urinalysis shows protein 1+, hemoglobin 3+ with occasional leukocytes and no red blood casts. What is the best first step in the management of this condition?

A 37-year-old man with a history of schizophrenia, obesity, anxiety, recurrent pneumonia, and depression is brought to the emergency department. He was recently discharged from inpatient psychiatric care where he was treated for an acute psychotic episode with fluphenazine and started on a new antidepressant. One week after discharge, during a period of cold weather, he is found outdoors confused and poorly dressed. His rectal temperature is 93.2°F (34°C). Which of the following medications is most likely contributing to his hypothermia?

A 67-year-old man presents to his primary care physician for fatigue. This has persisted for the past several months and has been steadily worsening. The patient has a past medical history of hypertension and diabetes; however, he is not currently taking any medications and does not frequently visit his physician. The patient has lost 20 pounds since his last visit. His laboratory values are shown below: Hemoglobin: 9 g/dL Hematocrit: 29% Mean corpuscular volume: 90 µm^3 Serum: Na+: 139 mEq/L Cl-: 100 mEq/L K+: 4.3 mEq/L Ca2+: 11.8 mg/dL Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

A 39-year-old man comes to the physician because of a 3-month history of fatigue, decreased sexual desire, and difficulty achieving an erection. He has no past medical history except for a traumatic brain injury he sustained in a motor vehicle accident 4 months ago. At that time, neuroimaging studies showed no abnormalities. Physical examination shows bilateral gynecomastia and a thin white nipple discharge. Decreased production of which of the following is the most likely underlying cause of this patient's current condition?