What is the initial treatment for neuroleptic dystonia?

Neuroleptic dystonia is a type of acute dystonia that can occur as a side effect of antipsychotic medications. The initial treatment for neuroleptic dystonia is indeed anticholinergics. This class of drugs works by counteracting the effects of dopamine blockade in the central nervous system, which is primarily responsible for the muscular rigidity and abnormal movements seen in dystonia. Specifically, anticholinergics such as benztropine and trihexyphenidyl are commonly used to provide rapid relief from the symptoms of neuroleptic-induced dystonia.

Utilizing anticholinergics is advantageous because they can quickly reduce muscle spasms and restore normal movement patterns, making them the first-line therapeutic choice in this situation. Other treatments might be considered for managing the side effects of antipsychotics, but when it comes specifically to acute dystonic reactions, anticholinergics are directly effective due to their mechanism of action on the cholinergic pathways that become unopposed when dopamine is blocked by antipsychotic medications.