[Akathisia, parkinsonism and depression induced by cinnarizine: a case report].

INTRODUCTION: Cinnarizine is a calcium-entry blocker drug used in vertiginous disorders; among its most rare adverse effects appear extrapyramidal symptoms and depression, these effects can persist during weeks, months or years after the withdrawal of the drug and have been explained by the inhibition of the passage of calcium in striatal neurons and a direct antidopaminergic features because of the similar chemical structure with neuroleptic drugs. Clinical case. A case of cinnarizine-induced akathisia, parkinsonism and depression in a 25 years-old patient after 11 days of treatment is described. Sequential evaluation were done using the following instruments: Barnes' scale for akathisia, Simpson-Angus scale for extrapyramidal symptoms, Beck's depression scale, Zung's depression scale and SCID for major depression according to DSM-IV criteria. The patient was treated with benzodiazepines, propranolol and orphenadrine.

CONCLUSIONS: Although cinnarizine-induced extrapyramidal symptoms and depression have been associated with old age and prolonged time of treatment, it must be considered its apparition among young patients and after a short time of treatment.