USE OF NOVEL ANTIPSYCHOTIC-DRUGS

The atypical antipsychotic agents clozapine and risperidone bring new insight into the care and treatment of patients with schizophrenia. Si nce their introduction, several names (e.g., novel, atypical, serotone rgic-dopaminergic antagonist) have been used to describe the nature of these compounds. The agents are unique in a number of ways compared w ith conventional neuroleptics. In particular, they have the distinctio n of having achieved separation between the effective dosage and the d osage that causes extrapyramidal symptoms, which has significant impli cations for patient care. On the whole, the advent of atypical agents is changing treatment protocols for patients with schizophrenia.