What are the uses and side effects of medication?

Antipsychotic medications are mainly divided into typical (the older type) and atypical (the newer type). The two types of medication are similar in their effectiveness at alleviating positive symptoms. Some of the side effects (eg. Drowsiness, dizzy etc) will appear when the patient first started taking medication, but will disappear gradually; other side effects (eg hand tremor, increase muscle tone, increase body weight etc) may appear later in the course of medication.

There are oral and depot medications. The effectiveness of medications can vary from person to person; the side effects experienced by individuals differ too. Therefore it usually takes some time to adjust dosage and types of medication. Medications often take effects from few weeks to few months (for alleviation of delusions and hallucinations), but the side effects can be apparent soon after starting the medication.

Older Medication (Typical Antipsychotic Drugs): General Uses and Side Effects

Name Uses Side Effects
Chlorpromazine
(Largactil)
Injection available
  • Alleviates delusions, hallucinations and thought disorders
  • Promotes sleep 
  • Calms restlessness and irritability
Dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation, increased appetite, weight gain, excessive sleepiness, extrapyramidal symptoms1, amenorrhea, galactorrhea, hypotension
Fluphenazine
Injection available
  • Alleviates delusions, hallucinations and thought disorders
  • Calms restlessness and irritability
Same as Chlorpromazine, with moreextrapyramidal symptoms1,but less likely to have excessive sleepiness, dry mouth, constipation, blurred vision, hypotension
Flupenthixol
(Fluanxol)
Injection available 
  • Alleviates delusions, hallucinations and thought disorders
  • Promotes sleep
  • Calms restlessness and irritability
Same as Chlorpromazine, with more extrapyramidal symptoms1,but less likely to have excessive sleepiness, dry mouth, constipation, blurred vision, hypotension
Haloperidol
(Haldol)
Injection available
  • Alleviates delusions, hallucinations and thought disorders
  • Calms restlessness and irritability
Same as Chlorpromazine, with more extrapyramidal symptoms1,but less likely to have excessive sleepiness, dry mouth, constipation, blurred vision, hypotension
Trifluoperazine
(Stelazine)
  • Alleviates delusions, hallucinations and thought disorders
  • Calms restlessness and irritability
    Injections not needed

     
Same as Chlorpromazine, with more extrapyramidal symptoms1,but less likely to have excessive sleepiness, dry mouth, constipation, blurred vision, hypotension
Sulpiride
(Dogmatil)
  • Alleviates delusions, hallucinations and thought disorders
  • Promotes sleep
  • Calms restlessness and irritability
  • Alleviates numbness, confusions, dullness and tenseness
Same as Chlorpromazine, but less likely to have excessive sleepiness, dry mouth, constipation, blurred vision, hypotension, extrapyramidal symptoms1

Newer Medication (Atypical Antipsychotic Drugs): General Uses and Sides Effects

Name Uses Side Effects
Olanzapine
(Zyprexa)

 
  • Alleviates delusions, hallucinations and thought disorders
  • Reduces apathy and numbness, lack of speech and lack of motivation
  • Promotes sleep
Fewer side effects, but may cause excessive sleepiness, weight gain, hypotension, dry mouth, blurred vision; often lead to weight problem, increased blood glucose, hyperlipidemia
Risperidone
(Risperdal)
Injection available
  • Alleviates delusions, hallucinations and thought disorders
  • Reduces apathy and numbness,  lack of speech and lack of motivation
  • Promotes sleep
Same as Chlorpromazine, but less severe. Often lead to weight gain, increased blood glucose and hyperlipidemia
Quetiapine
(Seroquel)

 
  • Alleviates delusions, hallucinations and thought disorders
  • Reduces  apathy and numbness,  lack of speech and lack of motivation
  • Promotes sleep
Hypotension, excessive sleepiness, dry mouth, constipation, weight gain, dizziness
Ziprasidone
(Zeldox)

 
  • Alleviates delusions, hallucinations and thought disorders
  • Reduces apathy and numbness,  lack of speech and lack of motivation
  • Promotes sleep
May lead to cardiac dysrhythmia
Less impact on weight 
Clozapine
(Clozaril)*
  • When other antipsychotic drugs are ineffective or lead to severe side effects. Especially effective in targeting apathy and numbness,  lack of speech and lack of motivation
Often lead to weight gain, increased blood glucose and hyperlipidemia; few patients may have decreased number of white blood cells, blood tests will have to be carried out regularly, and careful monitor is needed; other side effects include excessive sleepiness, weight gain, drooling and epilepsy
Aripiprazole
(Abilify)

 
  • Alleviates delusions and hallucinations
Excessive sleepiness, weight gain
Amisulpride
(Solian)

 
  • Alleviates delusions, hallucinations and thought disorders
  • Promotes sleep
  • Calms restlessness
Often lead to weight gain, increased blood glucose level and hyperlipidemia

Annotation1

Extrapyramidal symptoms include muscular spasms of the mouth, tongue or other body parts, stiffened face and limbs, tremor of hands and legs, impatience, motor restlessness, and acute dystonic reactions (i.e. eyes rolling back, neck bending backward).


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