Antipsychotics: tardive dyskinesia management: practice question

A Psychiatry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Psychiatry · Antipsychotics: tardive dyskinesia management

Sample item

A man on haloperidol for 8 years develops lip smacking, tongue protrusion and choreiform limb movements. The drug that is specifically approved for this condition is:

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Valbenazine (a VMAT2 inhibitor)

Tardive dyskinesia is a late-onset involuntary movement disorder due to chronic dopamine blockade. VMAT2 inhibitors such as valbenazine and deutetrabenazine are used, along with minimising or switching antipsychotics (for example to clozapine or quetiapine).

Option by option

  • A. Trihexyphenidyl

    Anticholinergics can worsen tardive dyskinesia.

  • B. Valbenazine (a VMAT2 inhibitor) (correct)

    Correct. VMAT2 inhibitors are the specific treatment for tardive dyskinesia.

  • C. Promethazine

    Promethazine does not treat tardive dyskinesia.

  • D. Haloperidol at a higher dose

    Raising the dose suppresses the movements temporarily but worsens the underlying problem.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Psychiatry question

What is the answer to this Psychiatry question?

The best answer is B, Valbenazine (a VMAT2 inhibitor). Tardive dyskinesia is a late-onset involuntary movement disorder due to chronic dopamine blockade.

Why is "Trihexyphenidyl" not the answer?

Anticholinergics can worsen tardive dyskinesia.

Why is "Promethazine" not the answer?

Promethazine does not treat tardive dyskinesia.

Why is "Haloperidol at a higher dose" not the answer?

Raising the dose suppresses the movements temporarily but worsens the underlying problem.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Antipsychotics: tardive dyskinesia management in Psychiatry. VMAT2 inhibitors such as valbenazine and deutetrabenazine are used, along with minimising or switching antipsychotics (for example to clozapine or quetiapine).

How hard is this question?

We tag it as a multi-step question: it asks you to combine more than one idea. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Antipsychotics: tardive dyskinesia management?

Learn each diagnosis by its core features and its first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other Psychiatry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.