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Antipsychotic safety

Checking for movement side effects on antipsychotics

If you take an antipsychotic long-term, you should be checked from time to time for abnormal movements (a quick, non-invasive exam).

96% of the time this step is missed

The silent should: If you take an antipsychotic long-term, you should be checked from time to time for abnormal movements (a quick, non-invasive exam).

In our analysis of de-identified U.S. psychiatric records, this step was missing 96% of the time it should have happened.

This page is information to help you ask questions — it is not medical advice, and you should never start, stop, or change a medication on your own. Bring these questions to your clinician.

Questions for your doctor the next time you see them

Copy a line and ask it — these are questions, never instructions to change treatment.

  • I've taken an antipsychotic for a while - can we check for any abnormal movements?
  • How often should that movement check happen?

This page is informational and not medical advice. It describes care patterns across a population, not your situation. Bring these questions to a clinician who knows you.

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