engleski

Side effect profile of atypical antipsychotic agents and comparison to conventional antipsychotics

The aim of this paper is to review and summarize available evidence from clinical trials and clinicl experience regarding side effects of atypical antipsychotics. Regarding side effects, the available evidence demonstrate that, compared to conventional antipsychotics, atypial antipsychotics are associated with less extrapyramidal symptoms, tardive dyskinesia and, in most cases, elevated prolactin levels, but also with an increased risk of weight gain and elevation in blood glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides. Many of the new drugs appear to be less sedative and less constricting the psychomotor behavior than the traditional antipsychotic medications. More information on the long-term effects of treatment (in terms of safety and efficacy) is necessary in order to evaluate the ad¬vantages of atypical agents over conventional antipsychotics. INTRODUCTION The currently available evidence indicate that the second-generation antipsychotic agents have significant effects in reducing the positive symptoms of schizophrenia. Also, considerable clinical expe¬rience, post-hoc analysis of some controlled studies, and information from uncontrolled studies support the view that atypical antipsychotics improve the negative symptoms, affective symptoms and cogni¬tive difficulties that are prominent in patients tre¬ated with conventinal antipsychotic drugs. Regarding side effects, the available evidence also demonstrate 'hat, compared to conventional antipsychotics, atypical antipsychotics are associated with less ex-trapyramidal symptoms (EPSs), tardive dyskinesia and, in most cases, elevated prolactin levels, but on the other hand, with an increased risk of weight ga- ln and elevation of blood glucose, cholesterol and Tryglicerides'- The aim of this paper is to review and summa- r|ze the available evidence from clinical trials and clinical experience regarding side effects of atypical antipsychotics.The problems caused by hyperprolactinemia oc-cur less often with some atypical antipsychotics than with typical drugs, although risperidone and amil- sulpride appear to have no advantage in this res¬pect. Kim et al? conducted a study to examine the effect of switching from risperidone to olanzapine in female schizophrenic patients who experienced menstrual disturbances, galactorrhea, and/or sexual dysfunction. Olanzapine reversed hyperprolactine-mia in risperidone-treated t'emal schizophrenic pa-tients. This was associated with a decrease in ame-norrhea, improved cycle regularity, and a decrease in sexual side effects that the women attributed to antipsychotic medication3. This study suggests that switching to olanzapine is a safe and effective al-ternative method for patients with antipsychotic in-duced hyperprolactinemia associated sexual and/or reproductive dysfunction. The elevation in serum prolactin concentration in schizophrenia patients

side effects ; antipsychotics ; atypical ; typical

nije evidentirano