The Effectiveness of Newer Medications in the Treatment of Psychosis

 New antipsychotic drugs known as atypical antipsychotics have been used since 1990and have been shown to be more effective than older antipsychotics, but the possibility of severe side effects still exist.  One of these side effects is a loss of the white blood cells and requires monitoring with blood tests every one or two weeks.

Newer antipsychotic drugs are safer with lower incidences of movement related side effects, known as tardive dyskinesia and they do not have the same risk of lowering the white blood cells. Many of the atypical antipsychotics can cause side effects such as weight gain; people with schizophrenia are often overweight or obese. Obesity increases these patients’ risk for cardiovascular disease. Excessive weight and obesity can have important effects on an individual’s adjustment in the community, inability to participate in rehabilitation and are less likely to participate in a treatment plan along with poor self-image.

The increasing reports of Diabetes in people with schizophrenia are more than twice higher than in the general population. There have been numerous case reports, studies, and investigations into this disease to show that certain of these medications may be associated with a greater risk of Diabetes than others.

The older antipsychotic drugs are effective in treating some symptoms of schizophrenia, hallucinations and delusions; however these drugs may not be as helpful with other symptoms commonly experienced such as reduced motivation and flattened affect or emotional expressiveness. The older antipsychotics medicines like Haldol or Thorazine may even mimic the side effects that are similar to the symptoms of this disorder. It has been seen that lowering the dose may reduce these side effects; the newer medicines have been shown to be less likely to cause this problem.

The use if these medications that are highly effective in the treatment of psychosis the  benefits of such medications still has to investigated to find he best treatment plan with the least chance of side effects.