atypical antipsychotic


atypical antipsychotic

A dibenzepine-type antipsychotic which differs from conventional antipsychotics in its paucity of extrapyramidal effects (tremor, muscle stiffness and restlessness).
 
Adverse effects
Insomnia, anxiety, agitation, sedation, dizziness, rhinitis, orthostatic hypotension, tachycardia, weight gain, menstrual disturbances, seizures; rarely, severe granulocytopaenia or agranulocytosis; should not be used in patients with liver, brain or circulatory defects.
 
Examples
Clozapine (Clozaril), ziprasidone (Geodon), loxapine (Loxitane), olanzapine (Zyprexa), resperidone (Risperdal), quetiapine (Seroquel).

antipsychotic

(ant?i-si?kot'ik) [ anti- + psychotic] 1. Preventing or treating psychosis, e.g., schizophrenia.2. A medication to treat psychosis.

atypical antipsychotic

Second-generation antipsychotic.

first-generation antipsychotic

A neuroleptic drug. They treat psychotic disorders and other psychiatric diseases. Side effects include extrapyramidal (Parkinsonian) reactions. Synonym: conventional antipsychotic See: neuroleptic (1)

conventional antipsychotic

First-generation antipsychotic.

second-generation antipsychotic

An antipsychotic drug that causes increased appetite, weight gain, and adverse effects on lipids. They differ from first-generation antipsychotics in that they are less likely to cause extrapyramidal side effects or tardive dyskinesia. Synonym: atypical antipsychotic