Antipsychotic drugs are considered a critical component in the treatment of schizophrenia, one
of the most debilitating mental illnesses. Social workers need sophisticated, up-to-date knowl
edge about these medications to more fully embrace their roles as collaborators and consultants
with clients, families, physicians, and other providers in the clinical arena. This article provides
an overview of the efficacy of antipsychotic medications and a brief review of their common side
effects and then details the current research and treatment practices with the so-called conven
tional and atypical antipsychotics on the market or in development, as well as commonly used adjunctive and side-effect medications. The article concludes by discussing trends in psycho pharmacological research in schizophrenia of special relevance to social work
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