Review of Quetiapine Side Effects

The newest atypical antipsychotic medication to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration,quetiapine is a drug that awaits a wide range of clinical and head-to-head comparisons. Nevertheless,clinical trials currently available suggest that quetiapine has a beneficial side effect profile,particularly with regard to extrapyramidal symptoms. To date, quetiapine has also proved effective inthe treatment of schizophrenia, but its efficacy, while clearly superior to that of placebo, seems nogreater than that of haloperidol or chlorpromazine. Clinical trials have supported the use of quetiapinein treating elderly patients. Further research is necessary to establish the clinical profile of quetiapine.