Olanzapine induced tardive dyskinesia

Olanzapine is considered to have significantly less risk of tardive dyskinesia (TD) compared to first generation antipsychotics. We describe two patients who developed TD after prolonged use of olanzapine. Both the patients received no medications prior to the treatment with olanzapine. They neither received any other medication along with olanzapine nor any injectible antipsychotics. In one patient, TD improved completely after withdrawal of olanzapine and treatment with clozapine, but recurred after a retrial of olanzapine. In the other patient, reduction of dose of olanzapine was tried without any success. Despite a substantially lower risk than first generation antipsychotics, TD is not entirely absent with olanzapine.