Some novelties and recommendations by swithing antipsychotics

Clinical outcome of patients with severe mental disorders treated with antipsychotics depends on individual response to therapy, adverse events, physical health, maintaining of physical health and of the patient’s, interpersonal (patient - therapist), health and environmental features. Replacement of antipsychotics is a common therapeutic measure. The response depends on mostly unknown genetic factors, physiological particularities of the patient and its variations. This article summarizes the most important and the most recent pharmacological properties and consequences of cross-action of antipsychotics. It specifies the basic rules and ways of replacing antipsychotic drugs in different clinical situations, and summarizes alerts, recommendations and suggestions when changing antipsychotics.