A drug may be classified by the chemical type of the active ingredient or by the way it is used to treat a particular condition. Each drug can be classified into one or more drug classes.
Atypical antipsychotics are newer antipsychotic agents that have a pharmacological profile different from older or typical antipsychotic drugs. They cause less extrapyramidal side effects compared to the older typical antipsychotic drugs. They are more effective in treatment-resistant patients and have a greater efficacy to treat negative symptoms, compared to the typical antipsychotics.
Atypical antipsychotics are also called second generation antipsychotics. The drugs in this class of antipsychotics act on many receptor types including dopamine and serotonin, but they are be more selective for dopamine receptors.
