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This page/column contains information which may be of interest to consumers. The information is based on articles which appear in Australian Prescriber. As Australian Prescriber is written for health professionals, you should discuss any issues raised by this page/column with your doctor or pharmacist. They will be able to give a more detailed answer to your questions by reading the main article.
Australian Prescriber is unable to comment on individual cases or give second opinions.
Australian Prescriber Vol. 22 No. 4 1999
New Antipsychotic Medications
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder which affects about 3 people in every thousand. The disorder affects people's thinking and feelings. They may suffer delusions and hallucinations. A delusion might be that someone is reading your mind. A common hallucination is hearing voices when there is nobody there.
Drugs called antipsychotics are used to treat schizophrenia. The first treatments to be developed tended to cause adverse effects such as dry mouth, constipation and shaking. Newer treatments aim to reduce the number of adverse effects. These drugs are likely to replace the old drugs for the treatment of new cases of schizophrenia, but they are not completely free of adverse effects.
Treatment does not just involve drugs. It includes psychological, social and family support.
