What common side effect of antipsychotics might lead a patient to experience dizziness when standing up?

The correct answer identifies orthostatic hypotension as a common side effect of antipsychotics that can lead to dizziness when a patient stands up. Orthostatic hypotension occurs when there is a significant drop in blood pressure upon standing, which can result in lightheadedness or dizziness due to reduced cerebral blood flow.

Certain antipsychotic medications can interfere with the body’s ability to regulate blood pressure by blocking alpha-adrenergic receptors, leading to this side effect. This is particularly important for patients who may already be predisposed to blood pressure fluctuations or who are taking other medications that influence blood pressure.

Anticholinergic effects, while relevant to antipsychotic medications, primarily contribute to symptoms like dry mouth, blurred vision, and constipation rather than directly causing dizziness upon standing. Extrapyramidal symptoms are related to movement disorders resulting from dopamine antagonism, and tardive dyskinesia is a late-onset movement disorder that does not directly cause dizziness. Thus, while these other options can lead to various side effects, it is orthostatic hypotension that is specifically linked to dizziness experienced upon standing in patients taking antipsychotics.