Patterns of, and factors associated with, atypical and typical antipsychotic prescribing by general practitioners in the UK during the 1990s

The development of atypical (or second generation) antipsychotics has offered people with schizophrenia more treatment options. Atypical antipsychotics are judged to be more effective in alleviating symptoms of the illness and to be associated with fewer side-effects in most patients. They are more expensive than the earlier class of antipsychotics, so-called typical antipsychotics, but doubt remains as to whether or not they are more cost-effective in treating patients with schizophrenia.