Health Care

Antipsychotic medications are not a cure for schizophrenia, for the moment we hope. They only treat the symptoms and help to normalize the biochemical imbalances that cause schizophrenia. There are two major types of antipsychotics, traditional and new antipsychotics.

Traditional antipsychotics (so called classic antippychotics) effectively control the delusions, hallucinations, and confusion of schizophrenia. Antipsychotic drug, such as haloperidol, chlorpromazine, and fluphenazine, are the first antipsychotic drugs that were used. These drugs primarily block dopamine receptors. They treat well schizophrenia symptoms, but unfortunately have many side effects. And because of this side effects the patient refuse to take them anymore.

From the new class of antipsychotics we remember Risperidone (Risperdal), olanzapine (Zyprexa), quetiapine (Seroquel), ziprasidone (Geodon) and aripiprazole (Abilify). This antipsychotics have fewer side effects than the classic antipsychotic drugs.

The main problem with the new class of antipsychotics is their cost. It seems to be a little bit expensive, and some of the patients can not afford to buy their medication. For the future maybe their cost will be not a problem anymore.

Side effects for antipsychotics may cause a patient to be affraid taking them. However, it is important to take your doctor opinion before making any changes in medication since many side effects can be controlled. Also, if the treatment is interrupted many symptoms can reappear, some of them even on a higher intensity. The advice is to be sure to weight the risks against the potential benefits that antipsychotic drugs can provide. Sometimes it not disserve to interrupt the treatment!

To prevent appearing side effects, the doctor should prescribe the right dosage of antipsychotic, neither more or less. And this depends from patient to patient. There are many patients who have the same symptoms, but the response to the same medicine is different.

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