From cradle to grave? Expectations from atypical antipsychotics
Frecska, E.
Neuropsychopharmacologia Hungarica a Magyar Pszichofarmakologiai Egyesulet Lapja 7(1): 34-38
2005
ISSN/ISBN: 1419-8711 PMID: 16167466 Document Number: 593943
Clinical expectations are high toward atypical, second generation antipsychotics (SGAs). Controlled clinical trials supporting the superiority of SGAs over traditional agents are scarce. Meta-analysis of existing data may come for the rescue but that kind of method has its limitations. One of the most meticulous approaches (Davis et al. 2003) reached the conclusion that some, but not all, SGAs are more efficacious than traditional ones. Within the group of distinguished drugs, clozapine and amisulpride have the highest efficacy. The present paper critically overviews the study of the Davis group. Based on in vivo D2 receptor binding data of the new SGAs and the usual post marketing changes of clinical dosing, it is expected that some of the currently and most recently marketed SGAs may show similar superiority.