Q; Why Haldol (Haloperidol) should be use with caution in burn patients?

Answer: Neuropsychiatric complications are commonly seen in major burn patients. Haloperidol is frequently used to treat severe psychopathic behavior. There could be an increase tendency of severe muscle rigidity - an extrapyramidal side effect of the agent - in burn patients. Haloperidol causes a relative imbalance of dopaminergic and cholinergic neuronal activity in the basal ganglia with a relative increase in cholinergic activity being responsible for EPS. The burn patient may be more prone to extrapyramidal symptoms because of increased sensitivity of skeletal muscle neuromuscular junctions to acetylcholine after thermal injury.


Reference:Haloperidol Complications in Burn Patients. Journal of Burn Care & Rehabilitation. 8(4):269-273, July/August 1987