Acute dystonia and status dystonicus dystonia

Dystonia is a movement disorder that is characterized by sporadic or persistent contraction of the muscles that clinically present itself as abnormal movements, postures, or both. Although dystonia, like other movement disorders, is a slowly progressive disease, there are emergency situations that require immediate medical intervention. Some of the listed emergency clinical conditions are acute dystonia and status dystonicus. Acute dystonia, also known as an acute dystonic reaction, is a transient condition that involves involuntary contractions of muscles of various parts of the body such as the face, neck, larynx, extremities, abdomen, and pelvis. This reaction is caused by a variety of different medications, most prominently antipsychotic and antiemetic medication. Status dystonicus is characterized by intense, powerful, continuous generalized contractions. Both conditions are movement disorder emergencies that require immediate assessment and treatment because otherwise they can end in death.