Antipsychotic Drugs
Medications from this group alleviate psychosis
found in many psychiatric disorders including:
- Schizophrenia
- Psychotic Disorders
- Schizophreniform Disorders
- Schizoaffective Disorders
- Delusional Disorders
- Mania
- Depression
- Cognitive Disorders
- Dementia
Antipsychotic treatments can vary notably in terms of
specific antipsychotic drugs, dosages, duration of treatment and combinations with additional
psychotropic medications. Antipsychotics can be used for short term and long term treatment.
They reduce acute symptoms and prevent further exacerbation of symptoms.
Antipsychotics have activities at several neurotransmitter
receptor sites. Antipsychotic agents differ in their ability to block various receptors, but not overall in
their therapeutic ability. There are three neurotransmitter receptors that appear to cause side effects;
namely, antihistamine properties (weight gain), alpha adrenergic blocking properties (cardiovascular
side effects), and muscarinic cholinergic (dry mouth, blurred vision, and constipation). Some
neuroleptics are more sedating than others, some have more cardiovascular side effects, and some are
more potent than others. All neuroleptics reduce psychotic symptoms, especially positive symptoms. All
typical or conventional antipsychotics may produce
Extrapyramidal
Symptoms (EPS) and
Tardive
Dyskinesia (TD), which derive from the dopamine-2 receptor blocking properties of the typical neuroleptics. The dopamine-2 receptor antagonism mediates not only the therapeutic effects of
antipsychotic drugs but also some of the side effects. The neuroleptics that cause more EPS effects
are the drugs that have only weak anticholinergic properties. The neuroleptics that can cause fewer
EPS effects are the drugs that have stronger anticholinergic properties. Anticholinergic
agents are
frequently given to patients who are taking neuroleptic agents in order to reduce EPS.
Antipsychotic drugs: Brand name (generic name)
- Largactil (chlorpromazine)
- Nozinan (methotrimeprazine)
- Neuleptil (propericiazine)
- Piportil LA (pipotiazine-palmitate)
- Moditen (fluphenazine)
- Modecate (fluphenazine-decanoate)
- Moditen-Enanthate (fluphenazine-enanthate)
- Trilafon (perphenazine)
- Stemetil, Compazine (prochlorperazine)
- Stelazine (trifluoperazine)
- Haldol (haloperidol)
- Haldol LA (haloperidol-decanoate)
- Fluanxol (flupenthixol)
- Fluanxol Depot (flupenthixol-decanoate)
- Navane (thiothixene)
- Clopixol (zuclopenthixol dihydrochloride)
- Clopixol Acuphase (zuclopenthixol acetate)
- Clopixol Depot (zuclopenthixol decanoate)
- Loxapac (loxapine)
- Moban (molindone)
- Orap (pimozide)
- Abilify (aripiprazole)
- Clozaril (clozapine)
- Risperdal, Risperdal Consta (risperidone)
- Zyprexa, Zyprexa Zydis (olanzapine)
- Seroquel (quetiapine)
- Zeldox (ziprasidone)
Note: The description of chemical actions given in this website, while theoretically
correct, are extremely simplified and are intended to help
understand how antipsychotic drugs work.
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