Antipsychotics treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, manic episodes and other psychotic disorders. They include typical (first generation) — haloperidol (potent D2 antagonist, first-choice in acute agitation), pimozide (diphenylbutylpiperidine — used in Tourette syndrome) — and atypical (second generation) — risperidone (D2/5-HT2A antagonist), olanzapine (multi-receptor profile — metabolic risk), quetiapine (sedative antihistamine — used in insomnia and bipolar), aripiprazole (partial D2 agonist — lower weight gain risk) and clozapine (the only effective agent in treatment-resistant schizophrenia — requires pancytopenia monitoring). Typicals have higher risk of extrapyramidal effects (parkinsonism, akathisia, tardive dyskinesia); atypicals have higher risk of metabolic syndrome (weight gain, dyslipidaemic diabetes). (Sources: DailyMed/FDA, EMC-UK/MHRA, NICE CG178)
