New antipsychotics are not more effective than conventional drugs

Atypical antipsychotic drugs are becoming widely used for schizophrenia, not least because of the problems with previously available drug treatments. Geddes et al (p 1371) present a systematic overview and meta-regression analysis undertaken to support the development of UK national guidelines for the treatment of schizophrenia. They found that the apparent benefits of newer drugs relate to the dose of the conventional antipsychotic drug with which they are compared. Optimal doses of conventional drugs produce a similar effect on symptoms and have similar overall tolerability to atypical antipsychotics, although the atypical drugs reduce extrapyramidal side effects. The authors conclude that current evidence does not support a wholesale shift to the new drugs.

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Relevant Article

Atypical antipsychotics in the treatment of schizophrenia: systematic overview and meta-regression analysis

John Geddes, Nick Freemantle, Paul Harrison, and Paul Bebbington
BMJ 2000 321: 1371-1376. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]