TREATMENT OF SPECIAL POPULATIONS WITH THE ATYPICAL ANTIPSYCHOTICS

Atypical antipsychotics have become the treatment of choice for patien ts experiencing a first episode of schizophrenia. In addition, they ar e often prescribed for conditions such as bipolar disorder and dementi a. While clinical trials have not yet established the efficacy of the atypical antipsychotics for these uses, a number of reports offer prel iminary evidence that the atypical antipsychotics may be beneficial fo r affective disorders, substance abuse disorder, senile dementia, and pathologic aggression. Atypical agents may be particularly effective a nd tolerable in elderly patients who are especially susceptible to the adverse effects of conventional antipsychotic medication. Lower dosag es are more necessary for the elderly than for younger adults. Current evidence suggests that clozapine is the most effective atypical antip sychotic for neuroleptic-resistant patients. Risperidone, olanzapine, and quetiapine may also be effective in a subset of these patients.