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Antipsychotic Drug Therapy

Antipsychotics (also known as schizophrenia, scitzophrenia neuroleptics) are indicated for schizophrenia and may be used for other disorders with psychotic features such as depression.

They are the drugs of choice for brief psychotic disorder, schizophreniform disorder and schizophrenia. They also play a prominent role in the treatment of schizoaffective disorder.

They may be necessary for brief to moderate courses of treatment in patients with mood disorders with psychotic features. They often improve functioning in patients with dementia or delirium with psychotic features in low doses.

Neuroleptics are frequently used in the treatment of substance induced psychotic disorders; however, efficacy in these illnesses is questionable. At times low dose neuroleptics may assist with brief psychotic features of severe personality disorders; however, they should be used with caution and for a brief duration of time.

Selection of an Antipsychotic Agent

All neuroleptics are equally effective in the treatment of psychosis, with the exception of clozapine being more effective for treatment refractory schizophrenia.

At least two weeks of treatment are required before significant antipsychotic effect is achieved.

The use of more than one