PHARMACOLOGY Study Guide - Antipsychotic, Dopamine Receptor D2, Dopamine Receptor
Document Summary
The antipsychotic drugs in schizophrenia and are also effective in the treatment of other psychoses and agitated states. Older drugs have high affinity for dopamine d2 receptors, whereas newer antipsychotic drugs have greater affinity for serotonin 5-ht2 receptors. Although schizophrenia is not cured by drug therapy, the symptoms, including thought disorder, emotional withdrawal, and hallucinations or delusions, may be ameliorated by antipsychotic drugs. Unfortunately, protracted therapy (years) is often needed and can result in severe toxicity in some patients. In bipolar affective disorder, although lithium has been the mainstay of treatment for many years, the use of newer antipsychotic agents and of several antiseizure drugs is increasing. Classification: newer, the major chemical subgroups of older antipsychotic drugs are the phenothiazines (eg, chlorpromazine, thioridazine, fluphenazine), the thioxanthenes (eg, thiothixene), and the butyrophenones (eg, haloperidol). Second generation drugs of varied in heterocyclic schizophrenia, loxapine, olanzapine, risperidone, quetiapine, ziprasidone, and aripiprazole.
