Antipsychotic drugs

Antipsychotic drugs are the cornerstone in the management of psychotic disorders, but most patients fail to have a “good” response in short-term trials. Therefore, alternative strategies including dose escalation, switching to another antipsychotic, or co-treatment with polypharmacy are often necessary. At any given time, more than 20% of the patients receive antipsychotic polypharmacy in an attempt to manage suboptimal response to monotherapy ( Figure 1). 1 Because of the limited evidence supporting the efficacy of this practice, far from being approved, decreasing it is considered a key performance improvement and quality of care target in various states. Nevertheless, to this day this practice is still prevalent in clinical care. Surveys reveal that most of the patients treated with antipsychotic polypharmacy were in fact inherited from other prescribers, yet most clinicians are reluctant to convert these patients to antipsychotic monotherapy ( Figure 2). 2 Although switching from polypharmacy to monotherapy is generally safe, 3 Beyond adding a second antipsychotic, adjunctive treatment with other types of drugs is also common. A 4 The addition of other compounds to antipsychotics is often studied in the context of managing symptoms such as negative symptoms or cognition, which are known to respond poorly to antipsychotic drugs. The common use of polypharmacy contrasts with the relatively limited attention that is paid to usual drivers of insufficient treatment response...

Antipsychotics are drugs that are used to treat symptoms of Their main action is on dopamine receptors, reducing levels of excess dopamine. They may also affect levels of other neurotransmitters, namely acetylcholine, noradrenaline, and serotonin. Older antipsychotics tend to be called typical antipsychotics, and antipsychotics that have been developed more recently are called atypical antipsychotics. Atypical antipsychotics are less likely to produce extrapyramidal side effects (such as tremor and Parkinson's-like symptoms) and

Clozapine Generic name: clozapine [ KLOE-za-peen] Brand names: Drug class: Medically reviewed by • • • • • • What is clozapine? Clozapine is used to treat Clozapine is also used to reduce the risk of suicidal behavior in adults with schizophrenia or similar disorders. Clozapine is available only from a certified pharmacy under a special program. Warnings Clozapine affects your immune system. You may get infections more easily, even serious or fatal infections. Call your doctor if you have a fever, Clozapine can increase your risk of seizure, especially at high doses. Avoid any activity that could be dangerous if you have a seizure or lose consciousness. Clozapine can cause serious heart problems. Call your doctor right away if you have chest pain, trouble breathing, fast or pounding heartbeats or sudden Clozapine is not approved for use in older adults with Before taking this medicine Clozapine may increase the risk of death in older adults with dementia-related psychosis and is not approved for this use. You should not take clozapine if you are allergic to it. To make sure this medicine is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had: • heart problems, • a • • an electrolyte imbalance (such as low levels of potassium or magnesium in your blood); • a seizure, • diabetes, or risk factors such as being • • • liver or kidney disease; • an • • malnourishment or • if you smoke. Taking antipsychotic medicine in the last 3 months of pregnancy may cause breathing problems, ...

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Doctors prescribe antipsychotic medications to treat psychosis. Mental health conditions like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia can include psychosis. Psychosis occurs when a person’s mental health condition causes them to lose touch with reality. Statistics from the National Institute of Mental Health suggest that Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are two of the Read on to learn about the best medication for psychosis, as well as short- versus long-term treatments, risks, and side effects. Share on Pinterest Przemyslaw Klos/EyeEm/Getty Image People experiencing psychosis perceive or experience situations This can cause: • Hallucinations: experiences of seeing, hearing, and potentially smelling, feeling, or tasting things that do not exist — for example, a person may hear voices • Delusions: experiences of firmly believing something is true despite evidence to the contrary — for example, a person may think that someone wants to harm them When a person experiences these hallucinations and delusions, it’s called a psychotic episode. It can be very distressing for the person and lead to a change in their behavior. Other potential • confusing speech • inappropriate behavior • depression • • trouble sleeping • social withdrawal • lack of motivation • general difficulty functioning It is important to note that psychosis is a symptom rather than a condition itself. In some people, a mental health condition such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder In others, psychosis can be a ...

Abilify Generic name: AR-i-PIP-ra-zole] Drug class: Medically reviewed by • • • • • • • What is Abilify? Abilify is an antipsychotic medication. It works by changing the actions of chemicals in the brain. Abilify is used to treat the symptoms of psychotic conditions including Abilify is also used alone or with a mood stabilizer medicine to treat Abilify is used with antidepressant medication to treat Abilify is also used in children at least 6 years old to treat Tourette's disorder and to treat symptoms related to autistic disorder (irritability, aggression, mood swings, temper tantrums, and self-injury). Warnings Abilify is not approved for use in older adults with People with depression or mental illness may have thoughts about suicide. Some young people may have increased suicidal thoughts when first starting a medicine to treat depression. Tell your doctor right away if you have any sudden changes in mood or behavior, or thoughts about suicide. Stop using Abilify and call your doctor at once if you have the following symptoms: fever with stiff muscles and rapid heart rate; uncontrolled muscle movements; symptoms that come on suddenly such as numbness or weakness, severe headache, and problems with vision, speech, or balance. If you also use antidepressant medicine, do not stop using it suddenly. Related/similar drugs Before taking this medicine You should not take Abilify if you are allergic to aripiprazole. Abilify may increase the risk of death in older adults with d...

Psychosis refers to symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thinking and speech, and bizarre and inappropriate motor behavior that indicate loss of contact with reality. A number of mental disorders cause symptoms of psychosis—see Introduction to Schizophrenia and Related Disorders Schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders— brief psychotic disorder, delusional disorder, schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform disorder, and schizotypal personality disorder—are characterized... read more . Antipsychotic drugs can be effective in reducing or eliminating symptoms of psychosis. They appear to be most effective in treating hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thinking, and aggression. Although antipsychotic drugs are most commonly prescribed for Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by loss of contact with reality (psychosis), hallucinations (usually, hearing voices), firmly held false beliefs (delusions), abnormal thinking... read more , they appear to be effective in treating these symptoms whether they result from schizophrenia, Mania In bipolar disorder (formerly called manic-depressive illness), episodes of depression alternate with episodes of mania or a less severe form of mania called hypomania. Mania is characterized... read more , Dementia Dementia is a slow, progressive decline in mental function including memory, thinking, judgment, and the ability to learn. Typically, symptoms include memory loss, problems using la...