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Antipsychotics

General side-effects:

  • Hyperprolactinaemia - can cause milky breast discharge (galactorrhoea) and menstrual disturbance

  • Sedation

  • Sexual dysfunction

  • Cardiac Arrhythmias

  • Reduction of seizure threshold

  • Increased risk of stroke in the elderly


Typical antipsychotics include Haloperidol, and its side-effects are:

  • Extra-pyramidal symptoms

    • Dystonia

    • Akathisia (psychomotor restlessness)

    • Parkinsonism

    • Tardive dyskinesia (similar to automatisms)

      • Procyclidine is an antispasmodic and antimuscarinic drug that can cross the BBB and treat drug-induced extrapyramidal disorders

Atypical antipsychotics include Risperidone, Aripiprazole, Quetiapine, Olanzapine, Clozapine, and its side-effects are:

  • Weight gain

  • Poor glycaemic control

  • Dyslipidaemia

  • Agranulocytosis with Clozapine



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