Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 6, 2026
08:38
Habituation and Prepulse Inhibition of Acoustic Startle in Rodents
Published on: September 1, 2011
Ziprasidone: a new atypical antipsychotic
P E Keck1, S L McElroy, L M Arnold
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Ohio, USA.
Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy
|October 5, 2001
Summary
Ziprasidone is a new atypical antipsychotic effective for psychosis and mood symptoms with few neurological side effects. Notably, it is not associated with weight gain in most patients.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Review of ziprasidone, a novel atypical antipsychotic.
- Atypical antipsychotics are crucial in managing psychosis, negative, and affective symptoms.
- Existing agents present varied side effect profiles, including neurological and weight gain concerns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To comprehensively review the clinical pharmacology, efficacy, and safety of ziprasidone.
- To assess ziprasidone's therapeutic profile against established atypical antipsychotics.
- To identify unique benefits, particularly regarding side effects.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search of MEDLINE for all published ziprasidone citations (up to early 2001).
- Inclusion of abstracts from recent scientific meetings presenting unpublished data.
- Review and synthesis of retrieved clinical pharmacology, efficacy, and safety data.
Main Results:
- Ziprasidone demonstrates efficacy in treating positive and negative symptoms of psychosis.
- It also shows effectiveness in managing affective symptoms associated with psychosis.
- Ziprasidone exhibits a low risk of neurological and neuroendocrinological side effects.
- Crucially, ziprasidone does not appear to cause weight gain in the majority of patients.
Conclusions:
- Ziprasidone aligns with the profile of an atypical antipsychotic, offering broad symptom control.
- Its favorable side effect profile, especially the lack of weight gain, distinguishes it from other agents.
- Ziprasidone represents a valuable therapeutic option in antipsychotic treatment.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Psychosis and Antipsychotic Drugs: Overview
The term "psychosis" refers to a spectrum of mental disorders characterized by abnormal thoughts, perceptions, and behaviors. It can manifest as mood disorders, dementia, delirium with psychotic features, substance-induced psychosis with psychotic features, brief psychotic disorder, delusional disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and schizophrenia. Among all these disorders, schizophrenia is the most common psychotic disorder, affecting 1% of the worldwide population. Psychotic symptoms in all...
01:26Psychosis: Goals of Pharmacotherapy
Antipsychotic drugs are a crucial treatment method for acute and chronic psychoses, bipolar illness, and behavioral disorders. The selection of these drugs depends on several factors, including the state of the disease, clinical judgment, possible drug interactions, and the patient's sensitivity to adverse effects. In immediate scenarios, such as delirium and dementia, short-term treatment with low doses of high-potency typical or atypical agents can effectively manage symptom exacerbation. For...
01:21Antipsychotic Drugs: Typical and Atypical Agents
Antipsychotic drugs are classified into first-generation (typical) drugs including phenothiazines; and second-generation (atypical) drugs. Chlorpromazine hydrochloride (Thorazine), a phenothiazine derivative, broadly impacts the central, autonomic, and endocrine systems. This drug, along with typical agents like haloperidol (Haldol), primarily works by antagonizing D2 receptors, thus reducing dopaminergic neurotransmission. However, typical antipsychotics can cause side effects such as sedation...
01:21Antipsychotic Drugs: Therapeutic Uses and Side Effects
Antipsychotic drugs primarily block dopamine and serotonin receptors and cholinergic, adrenergic, and histaminergic receptors, thereby reducing hallucinations and delusions in conditions like schizophrenia. However, they can trigger unwanted extrapyramidal effects such as dystonias, Parkinson-like symptoms, and tardive dyskinesia.
Despite these side effects, antipsychotics are used therapeutically for various purposes, including managing schizophrenia, preventing nausea and vomiting, curbing...
Despite these side effects, antipsychotics are used therapeutically for various purposes, including managing schizophrenia, preventing nausea and vomiting, curbing...
01:23Antidepressant Drugs: MAOIs and Other Agents
Atypical antidepressants, including bupropion (Wellbutrin), mirtazapine (Remeron), nefazodone (Serzone), trazodone (Desyrel), and vilazodone (Viibryd), offer unique mechanisms of action. Bupropion weakly inhibits dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake, aiding depression treatment and smoking cessation, with a low risk of sexual dysfunction. Mirtazapine enhances serotonin and norepinephrine neurotransmission, leading to sedation, increased appetite, and weight gain. As a result, it helps treat...
01:20Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators
Ezocgabine or retigabine, an antiepileptic drug of remarkable efficacy, has revolutionized the management of seizures. It is a potassium channel activator, explicitly targeting the family of Q subtype potassium channels. It enhances the transmembrane potassium currents, regulating neuronal excitability. This action stabilizes the resting membrane potential, a pivotal factor in mitigating the hyperexcitability that characterizes epilepsy.
Ezogabine has gained approval as an adjunctive treatment...
Ezogabine has gained approval as an adjunctive treatment...