Akathisia is a condition that causes a feeling of restlessness and an urgent need to move. Akathisia is a side effect of older, first-generation antipsychotic drugs used to treat mental health conditions like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia , but it can also occur with newer antipsychotics as well.
Between 20 and 75 percent of people who take these medicines have this side effect, especially in the first few weeks after they start treatment. Doctors may mistake akathisia for another movement disorder called tardive dyskinesia. Tardive dyskinesia is another side effect of treatment with antipsychotic medicines. It causes random movements — often in the face, arms, and trunk.
Akathisia mainly affects the legs. People with akathisia feel an uncontrollable urge to move and a sense of restlessness. To relieve the urge, they engage in repetitive movements like these:. Your doctor will start by taking you off the drug that caused akathisia. A few medicines are used to treat akathisia, including:. Vitamin B-6 may also help.
In studies , high doses 1, milligrams of vitamin B-6 improved symptoms of akathisia. However, not all akathisia cases will be able to be treated with medications.
Akathisia is easier to prevent than to treat. If you need an antipsychotic drug, your doctor should start you at the lowest possible dose and increase it a little bit at a time. Using newer generation antipsychotic drugs can decrease the risk of akathisia.
However, there is some evidence that even newer antipsychotic drugs can cause this symptom. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Akathisia, also spelled acathisia, is a neuropsychiatric syndrome or movement disorder characterized by inner restlessness and the inability to sit or stand still for a reasonable period of time. Akathisia may appear as a side effect of the long-term use of antipsychotic medications , Lithium , and some other neuroleptic drugs.
When akathisia is induced by drugs, it is known as antipsychotic-induced acute akathisia AIAA. Because it's known to happen as a result of treating a mental disorder, the prevention of akathisia is key. If you have akathisia, you may have restless movements of the arms and legs. This is sometimes referred to as psychomotor agitation. Your body may feel anxious at the thought of sitting down. Your body will always want to be on the move, almost to the point of fidgeting whenever stillness sets in.
Common symptoms of akathisia include:. Akathisia is generally underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed. The prevalence of missed diagnosis is a dangerous problem as it can lead to negative outcomes such as missed medication dosages, which may exacerbate the psychiatric symptoms the drugs are meant to help manage. Do not stop taking medication on your own. To diagnose akathisia, your doctor will likely perform a physical exam, which includes observing you sitting and standing for several minutes to watch for psychomotor agitation.
Your doctor may also fill out the Barnes Akathisia-Rating Scale to assess the severity of your symptoms. This tool can also be used to track your progress during treatment. In addition, your doctor will ask about your current medications and rule out any other health conditions that can cause similar symptoms, including:.
While akathisia is a common side effect of certain medications, researchers have yet to understand why or how it causes symptoms of restlessness. Some believe it is caused by a chemical imbalance triggered by the medication.
It overstimulates areas of the brain, potentially resulting in the compulsion to move. Akathisia is also common with haloperidol and the newer, second-generation agents Abilify aripiprazole and Latuda lurasidone. Invega paliperidone and Geodon ziprasidone are on the very low end of medications thought to cause akathisia. It's important to note that all antipsychotic drugs carry with them the risk of causing akathisia. Other medications known to cause akathisia include:.
Unfortunately, just as starting antipsychotic medication may cause akathisia, it is also observed in people who are being gradually taken off their antipsychotic medication, or who may be advised to gradually decrease their dosages. In these instances, intense dysphoria is often observed as well. Search Close Menu. Sign In About Mental Illness. About Mental Illness Treatments.
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