Risperidone and olanzapine were superior to haloperidol on some measures. Quetiapine was better than placebo but was not better than typical antipsychotics. Clozapine remains the standard agent for treatment-resistant schizophrenia.
Atypical agents are substantially more expensive than their typical antipsychotic counterparts.
To fully determine the overall efficiency of these drugs, other potential benefits, such as improved quality of life, need to be factored in. Atypical antipsychotics are associated with a decreased capacity to cause EPSs, TD, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, and hyperprolactinemia. Atypical antipsychotics are increasingly being used for indications other than schizophrenia, such as the management of aggression, mania, and depression. Atypical antipsychotics are often considered first-line agents for treating schizophrenia and are promising treatment alternatives for other psychiatric and neurologic conditions.