Drug Class Review: Atypical Antipsychotic Drugs: Final Report Update 2 [Internet]

Review
Portland, (OR): Oregon Health & Science University; 2008 Jun.
Drug Class Reviews.

Excerpt

"Atypical" antipsychotic agents are used to treat the symptoms of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The atypical antipsychotics interact with more neurotransmitter receptor types than conventional antipsychotics and vary from one another in receptor interaction selection and affinity. In general, atypical antipsychotics produce antipsychotic responses with fewer acute extrapyramidal side effects than "conventional" antipsychotic drugs. This review addresses the use of atypical antipsychotics to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in adults, and pervasive developmental disorders and disruptive behavior disorders in children. The purpose of this review is to help policy makers and clinicians make informed choices about the use of atypical antipsychotics by evaluating their comparative effectiveness and harms.

Publication types

  • Review

Grants and funding

The funding source, the Center for Evidence-based Policy, is supported by 14 organizations, including 13 state Medicaid programs. These organizations selected the topic and had input into the Key Questions for this review. The content and conclusions of the review are entirely determined by the Evidence-based Practice Center researchers. The authors of this report have no financial interest in any company that makes or distributes the products reviewed in this report.