A Roadmap to Key Pharmacologic Principles in Using Antipsychotics

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The treatment of severe mental illness has improved significantly in recent years because of advances in pharmacology and psychosocial interventions. One of the most important pharmacologic advances has been the introduction of the second generation “atypical” antipsychotics (SGAs), which are less likely to cause the neurologic movement disorders associated with older first generation antipsychotics, such as haloperidol. These neurologic side effects are usually called extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) and include parkinsonian-type movements, rigidity, and tremor. However, with increasing new options have come new and more complex treatment decisions.