Quetiapine, an atypical antipsychotic

Pharmacotherapy. 1998 Nov-Dec;18(6):1183-94.

Abstract

The discovery of antipsychotic agents in the 1950s revolutionized the treatment of schizophrenia. A large body of evidence supports the dopamine D2 receptor antagonist's efficacy in the treatment of psychotic symptoms. However, the advent of newer agents seems to point to a more complex interaction of neurotransmission in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. In fact, a defining characteristic of atypical agents is a higher ratio of serotonin (5HT2) receptor blockade to D2 receptor blockade. Clozapine was the first atypical agent to be introduced; it was followed by risperidone, olanzapine, and now quetiapine, which is a dibenzothiazepine derivative structurally related to clozapine and olanzapine.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antipsychotic Agents / adverse effects
  • Antipsychotic Agents / pharmacokinetics
  • Antipsychotic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Dibenzothiazepines / adverse effects
  • Dibenzothiazepines / pharmacokinetics
  • Dibenzothiazepines / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Quetiapine Fumarate
  • Schizophrenia / drug therapy
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antipsychotic Agents
  • Dibenzothiazepines
  • Quetiapine Fumarate