Teva announces results from a study of treatment patterns of tardive dyskinesia

Teva (TEVA) Pharmaceuticals, a U.S. affiliate of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, announced results from a study of treatment patterns among patients with tardive dyskinesia residing in long-term care facilities, highlighting a critical gap in TD diagnosis and treatment. Key results from the study revealed: Of the residents being treated with antipsychotic drugs, 5.6% had a diagnosis of extrapyramidal syndrome, – a broad term used to describe any drug-induced movement disorder with no wide-treating therapeutic option – while 1.1% had a specific diagnosis of TD. The most common comorbidities observed in residents on APDs at risk for TD included dementia, chronic pulmonary disease and congestive heart failure. Moderate or severe liver disease was observed in less than1% of residents on APDs. Less than half of patients diagnosed with TD residing in LTC settings received the standard of care treatment recommended by the American Psychiatric Association – a vesicular monoamine transporter 2 inhibitor. The majority were treated with a non-FDA approved treatment, primarily benztropine, and a quarter were not treated at all.