What Are Atypical Antipsychotics?

Atypical vs. typical antipsychotics

Second-generation antipsychotics are called atypical antipsychotics. They are a newer class of medications that work differently in your body than previous antipsychotics. Both help to regulate the chemicals in your body that allow your brain to communicate.

Studies have found that the brains of people with schizophrenia are more sensitive to the neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin, and glutamate. High or low dopamine levels can lead to There are feelings of hallucinations. and disordered thinking.

Administered by a drug called a SGA, dopamine and serotonin are blocked in the brain. This results in some differences.

The most significant difference is that SGAs are less likely to cause extrapyramidal symptoms. These are movement disorders that are common and serious side effects of FGAs. Some of these side effects can become permanent.

Both types of antipsychotics work to treat positive symptoms of schizophrenia, such as There are feelings of hallucinations. and delusions. But SGAs may also help treat negative symptoms, like decreased pleasure or lack of motivation. However, there’s debate on how effective SGAs are at reducing negative symptoms.

Here is a look at the differences between typical and atypical drugs.

It is important to learn about your prescription before you start taking atypical antipsychotic medication because it has its own possible mild, moderate and serious side effects.

Commonly used atypical antipsychotics

• Aripiprazole (Abilify) can be prescribed for adults and adolescents ages 13 and up. You can take it as an injectable solution available through a healthcare professional, or in one of four oral forms:
  • There is a tablet.
  • The solution is oral.
  • Abilify Discmelt, an orally disintegrating There is a tablet.
  • Abilify MyCite, a There is a tablet. with a patch sensor that lets your doctor know you’ve taken the drug
• Aripiprazole lauroxil (Aristada) is a prodrug, which means it’s inactive until a chemical reaction in your body changes it into aripiprazole. It also requires a medical professional to administer an injection.
• Asenapine maleate (Saphris) is unique in that it’s available as both a There is a tablet. and a patch. Studies show that it’s particularly good at preventing relapse. The FDA has approved its use for children older than 10 to treat bipolar disorder, but not schizophrenia.
• Brexipiprazole (Rexulti) treats schizophrenia and depression. Doctors usually prescribe it as a once-daily There is a tablet.. A generic form is not yet available.
• Cariprazine (Vraylar) is FDA-approved to treat schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder. It can take a long time to build up in your body and to leave your system. If you stop taking it, you might still feel its effects for up to 4 weeks.
• Clozapine (Clozaril) is the oldest SGA and remains the “gold standard” for those with treatment-resistant schizophrenia. The FDA has approved its use for reducing suicidal behavior in people with schizophrenia. It’s available as a There is a tablet., an orally disintegrating There is a tablet. (Fazaclo), and an oral suspension (Versacloz). Clozapine is not FDA-approved to treat schizophrenia in children or adolescents, but some doctors prescribe it off-label.
• Iloperidone (Fanapt) is a twice-daily There is a tablet. that can treat both positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. It can cause serious problems, such as stroke or even death, in older adults with dementia.
• Lumateperone (Caplyta) is approved to treat schizophrenia and depressive episodes of bipolar disorder. The FDA has not approved it for pediatric use.
• Lurasidone (Latuda) is a once-daily There is a tablet. that doctors can prescribe for people ages 13 and older. A 2020 study found that lurasidone continued to reduce schizophrenia symptoms in adolescents for the full 2 years of the study.
• Olanzapine (Zyprexa) is another drug used to treat schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder. It’s available as a There is a tablet., orally disintegrating There is a tablet., or long-acting The healthcare professional administered the injection.. This is one of the atypical antipsychotics that the FDA has approved for adolescents. It can cause serious side effects, such as drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS).
• Paliperidone (Invega) is derived from a different drug, risperidone. It comes in different forms, including extended-release There is a tablet.s and long-acting injectables with different brand names. Paliperidone is approved to treat schizophrenia in children ages 12 and older, but it could have broader potential.
• Quetiapine (Seroquel) is available in an immediate-release There is a tablet. that you take two or three times a day, or an extended-release There is a tablet. that you take once daily. It’s the least likely of the SGAs to cause extrapyramidal symptoms. It’s also FDA-approved for treating schizophrenia in adolescents.
• Risperidone (Risperdal, Perseris) is one of the earliest SGAs and is the most commonly used SGA among children. Doctors prescribe it for children as young as 5 years to treat irritability associated with autism, but it’s only approved for treating schizophrenia in children 13 years and older. It comes in four forms:
  • regular There is a tablet.
  • orally disintegrating There is a tablet.
  • The solution is oral.
  • The healthcare professional administered the injection.
• Ziprasidone (Geodon) is available as a twice-daily capsule, or you can have a healthcare professional give you an immediate-release injection.

Side effects of atypical antipsychotics

All atypicals have a risk of side effects. Drug to drug effects are different from person to person.

Some common side effects are listed.

• Sedatively.
• dizziness
• low blood pressure when standing up (orthostatic hypotension)
• Significant weight gain.
• There is a syndrome called metabolic syndrome.
• There is a disease called diabetes.
• hypertension
• Cholesterol that is abnormal.
• The heart disease is very serious.
• There are problems in the third trimester.
• suicidal thoughts and behaviors

Extrapyramidal symptoms may still occur at high doses with some SGAs.

It is important that you take care of your physical health while using antipsychotics. If you already have it, it can cause you to gain weight or worse overweight, which can lead to chronic conditions.

It is important to keep in touch with your healthcare team if your medicine stops working, as you may become resistant to your medication.

Even if you feel better, continue your medication. If you suddenly stop the medication, you can have problems and increase your risk of a relapse.

How is schizophrenia treated? 

Your treatment plan for schizophrenia may include a combination of the following:

• A medication that helps with conditions like anxiety or depression.
• counseling and therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and family therapy
• Educational services.
• Job support and occupational therapy.
• alternative and natural treatments, including vitamin supplements and self-care
• electroconvulsive therapy in some cases, which can also help with depression

Takeaway 

No one knows what causes a person to have a mental illness. It is a mental illness that requires lifelong care. There are many ways to live a satisfying life without a cure.

Management usually includes therapy, group support, and atypical antipsychotics.

It is important to monitor your reactions to medication because of the possible side effects.

Keeping up with your treatment schedule can help prevent health problems. Maintaining a moderate weight can help you stay healthy.