Early Recognition and Routine Discussion: Improving Outcomes in Tardive Dyskinesia

In this episode, 'Early Recognition and Routine Discussion: Improving Outcomes in Tardive Dyskinesia,' the expert psychiatry pharmacists explored the following questions:

How can early recognition of tardive dyskinesia (TD) in patients influence long-term mental health outcomes?

What approaches encourage routine discussion of TD in virtual or in-person visits?

The panelists examined how early recognition of TD allows providers to optimize antipsychotic therapy and minimize or eliminate anticholinergic medications before patients progress to higher-burden treatment options such as clozapine. Jamie Kneebusch and Farah Khorassani discussed the importance of catching emerging movement disorders early to help patients remain stable on effective therapy, noting that patients with mood disorders may be more susceptible to TD and more likely to notice its symptoms than patients with schizophrenia, which can influence treatment decisions. The panelists then explored practical approaches for encouraging routine TD discussion during patient visits, including upfront counseling at the time of antipsychotic initiation, formal Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) assessments, informal observation during clinical encounters, and consistent monitoring supported by electronic health record (EHR) alerts.

Throughout the conversation, the experts provided a comprehensive reflection on the field and the factors that may shape how clinicians approach care moving forward.

Our next episode, 'Beyond the Movement: TD's Impact on the Patient Journey and Gaps in Clinical Discussion,' further explores tardive dyskinesia, highlighting how connecting TD symptom management to the patient's broader journey can improve provider engagement, as well as the clinical settings most prone to under-discussion of mild-to-moderate TD movements.