Antipsychotic Polypharmacy, Part 1: Therapeutic Option or Dirty Little Secret?

The 3 new antipsychotics—risperidone, olanzapine, and quetiapine—are transforming the treatment of schizophrenia and other psychotic illnesses. These new atypical antipsychotic agents have now replaced so-called conventional antipsychotics such as haloperidol and chlorpromazine because clinical trials confirm that atypical antipsychotics have a better safety and efficacy profile than conventional antipsychotics. Clinical experience reveals that some patients respond better to one of these agents than to another, sometimes dramatically.