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First-generation antipsychotics are dopamine receptor antagonists and are known as typical antipsychotics. Second-generation antipsychotics are serotonin-dopamine antagonists and are also known as atypical antipsychotics. This activity outlines the indications, mechanism of action, safe administration, adverse effects, contraindications, monitoring, and toxicity of antipsychotic medications. Objectives: Identify the appropriate indications for the various antipsychotic medications. Assess the mechanism of action of both first and second-generation antipsychotics. Evaluate the appropriate follow-up and monitoring of antipsychotic drug therapy. Communicate interprofessional team strategies for improving care coordination and communication to advance appropriate clinical outcomes with antipsychotic therapy to treat indicated conditions, leading to optimal patient outcomes. Access free multiple choice questions on this topic.

Antipsychotics are widely used medications for a variety of mental health disorders. While effective, these drugs do have many potential side effects. Healthcare workers, working as an interprofessional team, need to be aware of the adverse effects because they can seriously affect the quality of life. To avoid the metabolic effects of these drugs, the patient needs to receive information regarding lifestyle changes. Regular exercise, discontinuation of smoking, and eating a healthy diet are essential. Also, the patient's body weight, blood cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure should be recorded at each clinic visit. If the patient is on clozapine, then regular monitoring of the white cell count is required. Only through strict monitoring can the high morbidity of these drugs be limited.[9][10][5] When the clinician initiates therapy, they should explain the treatment to the patient. Nurses can reiterate this education, answer questions, and assess patient progress and adherence to subsequent visits. Lack of drug adherence can be a significant cause of treatment failure. The pharmacist must check for all potential drug-drug interactions and verify appropriate dosing. A board-certified psychiatric pharmacist can also consult on the case with the clinician, offering possible alternatives if treatment does not progress as hoped, eg, recommending a long-acting dosage form. With these interprofessional interactions, antipsychotic therapy can achieve optimal outcomes for the patient.