Treatment for mood and anxiety disorders: quetiapine and aripiprazole

Atypical antipsychotic agents have a broad range of therapeutic efficacy, a relatively low incidence of causing extrapyramidal adverse effects, and a low tardive dyskinesia profile. This has led to very rapid growth in the use of these compounds as broad-spectrum psychotropic agents, and it has been reported that more than 70% of prescriptions for atypical antipsychotic medications are being used for conditions other than schizophrenia. In the area of bipolar disorder, in particular, atypical antipsychotic agents appear to positively affect illness outcome, and are considered potential first-line treatment agents. Quetiapine was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 1997, and is currently marketed in the US to treat schizophrenia. Aripiprazole was recently approved for the treatment of schizophrenia by the US Food and Drug Administration in late 2002, and is being used increasingly in clinical settings. Recent reports suggest that quetiapine and aripiprazole are valuable additions to the psychotropic armamentarium for the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders. Data from clinical trials and clinical reports are discussed herewith.