Drug Therapy

• Example of typical antipsychotics

  Chlorpromazine
• Example of atypical antipsychotics

  Clozapine or Risperidone
• Typical antipsychotics - traditional, first generation developed from the 1950s. Taken as tablet, syrup or injection

  Atypical antipsychotics - newer, second generation developed from the 1970s: newer drugs to maintain/improve effectiveness and to minimise side effects. Not all the atypical antipsychotics work the same way.
• Drugs for schizophrenia are used both in the short term and long term - some can take short course, then stop with no return of symptoms. Others take them more long term
• Drugs are often used as injections if patients are at risk of not taking the drugs (ethical issues alongside this)