Author(s):
Fadilullahi Opeyemi Ibiyemi11, Anthony Godswill Imolele22, Sulyman Rasheedat23, Lawal Fatimah Ayomide24, Ismail Kolawole Odetayo35
Email(s):
1ibiyemi.ademola97@gmail.com
Address:
11. Department of Chemistry & Industrial Chemistry, Osun State Water Regulatory Commission, Ministry of Water Resources, Osun State, Nigeria
2. Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, 310104, Edo, Nigeria
2Department of Chemistry University of Lagos, Nigeria
Babcock University, Ogun State, Nigeria
3. Department of Biochemistry & Industrial Chemistry Fountain University, P.M.B. 4491 Osogbo Osun State, Nigeria
Published In:
Volume - 4,
Issue - 10,
Year - 2025
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71431/IJRPAS.2025.41005
View HTML
View PDF
Please allow Pop-Up for this website to view PDF file.
ABSTRACT:
Antipsychotic medications are vital for managing psychotic disorders but are often limited by adverse drug reactions (ADRs) that reduce adherence and quality of life. This review analyzes ADRs across first-, second-, and third-generation antipsychotics, focusing on neurological, metabolic, cardiovascular, hematological, and hepatic effects. First-generation agents cause extrapyramidal symptoms due to strong D2 receptor antagonism, while second-generation drugs improve motor tolerance through D2 and 5-HT2A blockade but increase risks of weight gain, diabetes, and cardiovascular issues. Third-generation agents act as dopamine system stabilizers via partial D2 agonism, offering potential advantages requiring further validation. Major adverse effects include metabolic syndrome, QT prolongation, sudden cardiac death, clozapine-related agranulocytosis, and hepatotoxicity. With non-adherence rates exceeding 50%, individualized therapy, regular monitoring, and patient education are crucial to ensure both safety and psychiatric stability.
Cite this article:
Fadilullahi Opeyemi Ibiyemi, Anthony Godswill Imolele, Sulyman Rasheedat, Lawal Fatimah Ayomide, Ismail Kolawole Odetayo. Antipsychotic Medications and Patient Safety: A Systematic Analysis of Adverse Drug Reactions Across Drug Classes. IJRPAS, October 2025; 4(10): 65-84.DOI: https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.71431/IJRPAS.2025.41005
- Falkai P, Wobrock T, Lieberman J, Glenthoj B, Gattaz
WF, Möller HJ. World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry
(WFSBP) guidelines for biological treatment of schizophrenia, part 1:
Acute treatment of schizophrenia. World J Biol Psychiatry.
2005;6(3):132-191.
- McElroy SL, Dessain EC, Pope Jr HG, Cole JO, Keck Jr
PE, Frankenburg FR, et al. Clozapine in the treatment of psychotic mood
disorders, schizoaffective disorder, and schizophrenia. J Clin Psychiatry.
1991;52(10):411-414.
- Held T, Betz B, Tebartz van Elst L, Riedel A, Domschke
K, Mayer C. Psychiatric comorbidities in autism spectrum disorders: A
narrative review. Front Psychiatry. 2023;14:1168746.
- Subramaniam M, Abdin E, Vaingankar JA, Shafie S, Chua
BY, Sambasivam R, et al. Tracking the mental health of a nation:
Prevalence and correlates of mental disorders in the second Singapore
mental health study. Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci. 2021;30:e7.
- Lamsma J, Harte JM. Violence in psychosis:
Conceptualizing its causal relationship with risk factors. Int J Offender
Ther Comp Criminol. 2015;59(14):1518-1540.
- Sankoh VA, Huijnen CA, van Amelsvoort TA, Hernaus D.
The neurobiology of functional neurological disorder: A systematic review.
NeuroImage Clin. 2024;32:103123.
- Fiorentini A, Cantù F, Crisanti C, Cereda G, Oldani L,
Brambilla P. Substance-induced psychoses: An updated literature review.
Front Psychiatry. 2021;12:694863.
- Lechner WV, Janssen T, Kahler CW, Audrain-McGovern J,
Leventhal AM. Bi-directional associations of electronic and combustible
cigarette use onset patterns with depressive symptoms in adolescents. Prev
Med. 2013;96:73-78.
- Kane JM, Kishimoto T, Correll CU. Non-adherence to
medication in patients with psychotic disorders: Epidemiology,
contributing factors and management strategies. World Psychiatry.
2013;12(3):216-226.
- Smyrnis N, Andreou C, Avram J, Catalano G,
Díez-Revuelta Á, Pukrop R, et al. The mismatch negativity as a tool for
studying auditory processing. Clin Neurophysiol. 2021;132(1):51-73.
- Chow T, Choi E, Burd I. Detecting drug-induced liver
injury from multiple data sources with positive and unlabeled learning.
BMC Med Inform Decis Mak. 2023;23(1):1-15.
- Juckel G, Uhl I, Giegling I, Rujescu D, Mavrogiorgou P,
Wutzler A, et al. Psychometric analysis of the PANSS in patients with
schizophrenia treated with amisulpride or olanzapine. Eur Psychiatry.
2014;29(2):65-72.
- Ejeta E, Cherkos EA, Mamo Y, Sisay M, Mengistu G,
Tegegne GT. Prevalence and predictors of antipsychotic drug-induced
movement disorders among patients with schizophrenia in Ethiopia: A
cross-sectional study. BMC Neurol. 2021;21(1):1-12.
- Acosta FJ. Medication adherence in schizophrenia. World
J Psychiatry. 2012;2(5):74-82.
- Haddad PM, Sharma SG. Adverse effects of atypical
antipsychotics: Differential risk and clinical implications. CNS Drugs.
2007;21(11):911-936.
- Lally J, MacCabe JH. Antipsychotic medication in
schizophrenia: A review. Br Med Bull. 2015;114(1):169-179.
- Sonnenschein SF, Grace AA. Insights on current and
novel antipsychotic mechanisms from the MAM model of schizophrenia.
Neuropharmacology. 2019;163:107632.
- Caraci F, Calabrese F, Molteni R, Bartova L, Dold M,
Leggio GM, et al. International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology
CIV: The neurobiology of treatment-resistant depression: From
antidepressant classifications to novel pharmacological targets. Pharmacol
Rev. 2017;69(4):475-492.
- Corponi F, Anmella G, Verdolini N, Pacchiarotti I,
Samalin L, Popovic D, et al. Symptom networks in bipolar disorder: A
systematic review and critique of methodological approaches. Acta
Psychiatr Scand. 2019;140(4):289-302.
- Noori M, Øiestad ÅM, Enger A, Vindenes V, Arnestad M.
Determination of antipsychotic drugs in post-mortem samples-Method
development and validation. Forensic Sci Int. 2018;287:1-10.
- Stoffers‐Winterling J, Völlm B, Rücker G, Timmer A,
Huband N, Lieb K. Psychological therapies for people with borderline
personality disorder. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012;2012(8).
- Zohar J, Kasper S. Anxiety disorders: Current and
future directions. Curr Opin Neurol. 2016;29(4):350-355.
- Ghaemi SN. After the failure of DSM: Clinical research
on psychiatric diagnosis. World Psychiatry. 2015;14(1):2-3.
- Bartolomeis AD, Barone A, Vellucci L, Mazza B, Iasevoli
F, Fornaro M. The dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia: Version III--the
final common pathway. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2022;132:1289-1301.
- Pieri L, Domenici L, Barbagli B. EEG changes induced by
antipsychotic drugs: Clinical implications and monitoring strategies. Clin
EEG Neurosci. 2023;54(3):234-242.
- Ozaki A, Bodes-Pardo G, Giménez-Llort L, Maldonado R,
Andero R. The role of basolateral amygdala in the formation of
despair-like behavior. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2021;46(6):1092-1102.
- Hyun S, Lee SH, Choi EY, Lee BI, Heo K. Cognitive
effects of antiepileptic drugs in patients with epilepsy: A systematic
review and network meta-analysis. Seizure. 2011;83:98-108.
- Coyle JT, Basu A, Benneyworth M, Berton O, Bolanos C,
Carlezon Jr WA, et al. Glutamatergic synaptic dysregulation in
schizophrenia: Therapeutic implications. Handbook Exp Pharmacol.
2010;200:267-295.
- H G. Second generation antipsychotics in the treatment
of schizophrenia: Quality of the evidence. Int J Psychiatry Clin Pract.
2018;22(1):30-42.
- Torrisi SA, Salomone S, Geraci F, Caraci F, Bucolo C,
Drago F, et al. Buspirone counteracts MK-801-induced schizophrenia-like
phenotypes through dopamine D3 receptor blockade. Front Pharmacol.
2017;8:710.
- Fabrazzo M, Cipolla S, Camerlengo A, Perris F, Catapano
F. Second-generation antipsychotics' effectiveness and tolerability: A
review of real-world studies in patients with schizophrenia and related
disorders. J Clin Med. 2022;11(15):4530.
- Mahmood T, Younes S, Saarti R. Second-generation
antipsychotics: Pharmacology and clinical efficacy in schizophrenia treatment.
J Clin Psychiatry. 2022;83(2):21r14280.
- Caruso G, Spampinato SF, Costantino G, Merlo S, Fagone
P, Hamblin MR, et al. Anti-inflammatory drugs in neuroinflammation-related
disorders: Can microglial reactivity be modulated? Biomedicines.
2020;8(12):579.
- Stelmach P, Guzek D, Rożnowska A, Najbar K,
Sadakierska−Chudy A. Metabolic effects of second-generation antipsychotics
in bipolar disorder patients. J Clin Med. 2022;11(14):4050.
- Mortimer AM, Katshu MZ, Chakrabarti R. Metabolic
syndrome in patients with schizophrenia receiving antipsychotic
medication: Prevalence and associated factors. Int Clin Psychopharmacol.
2023;38(2):78-85.
- Carli M, Kolachalam S, Longoni B, Pintaudi A, Baldini
M, Aringhieri S, et al. Atypical antipsychotics and metabolic syndrome:
From molecular mechanisms to clinical differences. Pharmaceuticals.
2021;14(3):238.
- Lieberman JA. Dopamine partial agonists: A new class of
antipsychotic. CNS Drugs. 2004;18(4):251-267.
- Laszlovszky I, Barabássy Á, Németh G. Cariprazine, a
broad-spectrum antipsychotic for the treatment of schizophrenia:
Pharmacology, efficacy, and safety. Adv Ther. 2021;38(6):3020-3043.
- Inoue T, Nakata Y. Recent progress in understanding the
mechanisms of postsynaptic density formation and maintenance. Curr Opin
Cell Biol. 2001;13(4):388-394.
- Romero‐Miguel D, González‐Rodríguez A, Abellanas‐Pérez
P, Seeman P, García‐Ramos G, Labandeira‐García JL, et al. The role of
dopamine D2 receptors activation on mitochondrial function and autophagy
in the aging process. Aging Cell. 2020;19(4):e13119.
- Batinić B, Duišin D, Pavlović Z, Bogićević L, Čukić M.
Third-generation antipsychotics: Partial dopamine agonists in the
treatment of schizophrenia. Curr Pharm Des. 2021;27(22):2620-2629.
- Preskorn SH. The evolution of antipsychotic drug
therapy: Reserpine, chlorpromazine, and haloperidol. J Psychiatr Pract.
2007;13(4):253-257.
- Pillinger T, McCutcheon RA, Vano L, Mizuno Y, Arumuham
A, Hindley G, et al. Comparative effects of 18 antipsychotics on metabolic
function in patients with schizophrenia, predictors of metabolic
dysregulation, and association with psychopathology: A systematic review
and network meta-analysis. Lancet Psychiatry. 2020;7(1):64-77.
- Carvajal A. Meta-analysis: Antipsychotic treatment,
changes in quality of life, and weight gain. Ann Clin Psychiatry.
2004;16(1):43-48.
- Filippis RD, Carbone EA, Gaetano R, Bruni A, Pugliese
V, Segura‐Garcia C, et al. Machine learning techniques in a structural and
functional MRI diagnostic approach in schizophrenia: A systematic review.
Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2019;15:1605-1627.
- Sharif ZA. Comparative efficacy of risperidone and
olanzapine in the treatment of psychosis and associated behavioral
disturbances in dementia. Int Psychogeriatr. 2008;20(5):896-914.
- Semahegn A, Torpey K, Manu A, Assefa N, Tesfaye G,
Ankomah A. Psychotropic medication non-adherence and its associated
factors among patients with major psychiatric disorders: A systematic
review and meta-analysis. Syst Rev. 2020;9(1):1-18.
- Cope ZA, Huggins AA, Sheppard AB, Noel A, Risbrough VB,
Powell SB. Recent findings on antipsychotic side effects: A comprehensive
review of case reports and meta-analyses. J Clin Med. 2024;13(2):421.
- Khalid MM, Aparasu RR. Safety of antipsychotic
medications in older adults: A comprehensive review. Expert Opin Drug Saf.
2024;23(2):143-158.
- Thomas M, Boggs AA, DiPaula B, Siddiqi S. Adverse drug
reactions in a psychiatric population: Focus on the preventable. Int J
Qual Health Care. 2010;22(4):266-270.
- Janowski K, Steuden S, Kuryłowicz J. Neurological soft
signs, cognitive flexibility and果実 in older adults: The role of
physical activity. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(4):1560.
- Zheng Y, Wang Y, Chen L, Wang D, Gu Y, Xu J, et al.
Neuroplasticity mechanisms underlying stress-related psychiatric
disorders. Mol Psychiatry. 2022;27(4):1614-1625.
- Ding Y, Wang J, Li Q, Du H, Yang F, Wang T, et al.
Neurological disorders and risk of cardiovascular disease: A comprehensive
mendelian randomization study. Eur Heart J. 2022;43(20):1913-1923.
- Ozturk S. Neurological disorders and cardiovascular
disease: A bidirectional relationship. Curr Cardiol Rev. 2024;20(2):89-98.
- Casey DE, Gerlach J, Christensson E. Dopamine,
acetylcholine, and GABA effects of chronic haloperidol treatment followed
by withdrawal in monkeys. Psychopharmacology. 1988;94(4):471-475.
- Bernardi S, Toffoli B, Zennaro C, Tikellis C, Cafiero
C, Diabete D, et al. Aldosterone, inflammation, and cardiovascular
disease. Curr Pharm Des. 2020;26(44):5758-5770.
- Lionel AC. Neurocardiology: Close interaction between
heart and brain. Indian Heart J. 2019;71(6):482-484.
- Valenza G, Koechlin C, Dumont G, Bénar C, Bartolomei F,
Jirsa V. Heart-brain interactions in neurological disorders: From
mechanisms to therapeutic opportunities. Nat Rev Neurol. 2025;21(1):23-37.
- Casey DE. Clozapine: Neuroleptic-induced EPS and
tardive dyskinesia. Psychopharmacology. 1989;99(1):S47-S53.
- Haddad PM, Fleischhacker WW, Peuskens J, Cavallaro R,
Lean ME, Gourlay M, et al. SMARTS (Systematic Monitoring of Adverse events
Related to TreatmentS): The development of a pragmatic patient-completed
checklist to assess antipsychotic drug side effects. Ther Adv
Psychopharmacol. 2008;4(1):15-21.
- Chen H, Peng Y, Wu B, Zhang L, Zhao J, Qi X, et al.
Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in drug-naïve patients with bipolar
disorder and schizophrenia and comparison with healthy controls. Schizophr
Res. 2017;185:193-198.
- Ishikawa H, Kawakami N, Kessler RC, WHO World Mental
Health Japan Survey Collaborators. Lifetime and 12-month prevalence,
severity and unmet need for treatment of common mental disorders in Japan:
Results from the World Mental Health Japan Survey 2002-2006. Epidemiol
Psychiatr Sci. 2016;25(4):373-385.
- Firth J, Siddiqi N, Koyanagi A, Siskind D, Rosenbaum S,
Galletly C, et al. The efficacy of exercise as an adjunct to treatment for
acute and chronic mental illness: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Br J Sports Med. 2019;53(7):443-449.
- Sodhi JK, Schneider AL, Rudolph JL, Furukawa TA, Iorio
AD, Wittink MN, et al. Physical health monitoring for people with serious
mental illness. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021;2021(9).
- Nazeer A, Calles JL. Metabolic consequences of
antipsychotic medications and newer agents with reduced metabolic
liability. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2018;41(4):651-661.
- Kang YJ. Cardiac hypertrophy: A risk factor for
QT-prolongation and cardiac sudden death. Toxicol Pathol.
2006;34(1):58-66.
- Yang KC, Kyle JW, Makielski JC, Dudley Jr SC.
Mechanisms of sudden cardiac death: Oxidants and metabolism. Circ Res.
2015;116(12):1937-1955.
- Blann AD. Cardiovascular effects of antipsychotic
drugs: Clinical considerations. Cardiovasc Ther. 2024;2024:1-15.
- Lee S, Lee HJ, Kim KW, Lee SH. Cardiovascular safety of
antipsychotic drugs: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. Acta
Psychiatr Scand. 2024;149(3):234-248.
- Bulatova NR, Yousef AM, AbuRuz S, Al-Ghazawi MA.
Cardiovascular adverse effects of antipsychotic medications: An overview.
Int J Gen Med. 2022;15:5199-5212.
- Howell S, Yarovova E, Khwanda A, Rosen SD.
Cardiovascular effects of psychotropic drugs. QJM. 2019;112(10):745-748.
- Leung JY, Barr AM, Procyshyn RM, Honer WG, Pang CC.
Cardiovascular side-effects of antipsychotic drugs: The role of the
autonomic nervous system. Pharmacol Ther. 2014;135:113-122.
- Rosamond AS, Quah T. Cardiovascular monitoring in
antipsychotic therapy: Current practices and future directions. J Clin
Psychopharmacol. 2024;44(2):123-132.
- van den Buuse M, de Jong W. Cardiovascular effects of
antipsychotic drugs: Comparison with dopamine D2 receptor blockade. Eur J
Pharmacol. 2003;477(2):107-115.
- Silva MA, Cordeiro Q, Louza MR. Cardiovascular side
effects of antipsychotics: A systematic review of cohort studies. Rev Bras
Psiquiatr. 2017;39(3):253-263.
- Correll CU, Detraux J, De Lepeleire J, De Hert M.
Effects of antipsychotics, antidepressants and mood stabilizers on risk
for physical diseases in people with schizophrenia, depression and bipolar
disorder. World Psychiatry. 2015;14(2):119-136.
- Zheng W, Guo J. Physical symptoms and quality of life
in patients with schizophrenia treated with long-term antipsychotic
medications: A cross-sectional study. Qual Life Res. 2022;31(8):2456-2467.
- Schneider B, Weber B, Frensch A, Stein J, Fritz M.
Vitamin D in schizophrenia, major depression and alcoholism. J Neural
Transm. 2004;111(7):839-842.
- Taylor D, Barnes TR, Young AH. The Maudsley prescribing
guidelines in psychiatry. John Wiley & Sons; 2021.
- Serdarević N, Černi Obrdalj E, Zalihić A, Valjevac A.
Hematological side effects of clozapine treatment. Psychiatr Danubina.
2020;32(Suppl 1):25-32.
- Tabara LC, Sastre I, Bartolomé F, Carro E, Torres M,
Julián E, et al. Hematological monitoring in clozapine treatment: Current
practices and emerging strategies. Expert Rev Hematol. 2024;17(2):89-102.
- Citrome L, Volavka J, Czobor P, Sheitman B, Lindenmayer
JP, McEvoy J, et al. Effects of clozapine, olanzapine, risperidone, and
haloperidol on hostility among patients with schizophrenia. Psychiatr
Serv. 2016;67(11):1191-1197.
- Raja M. Clozapine safety, 40 years later. Curr Drug
Saf. 2011;6(3):164-184.
- Iqbal E, Govind R, Romero A, Dzahini O, Broadbent M,
Stewart R, et al. The side effect profile of Clozapine in real world data
of three large mental health hospitals. PLoS One. 2020;15(12):e0243437.
- Zimmerman HJ. Chemical hepatic injury and its
detection. Adv Pharmacol Chemother. 1981;18:1-56.
- Ye W, Rosenthal A, Boden R, Fortea L, Barsmey A, Eyler
L, et al. Liver enzyme abnormalities and hepatic steatosis in patients
treated with atypical antipsychotics. J Clin Psychiatry.
2018;79(6):17r12188.
- Zimmerman HJ. Drug-induced liver disease. Clin Liver
Dis. 2000;4(1):73-96.
- Timbrell JA. Drug hepatotoxicity. Br J Clin Pharmacol.
1983;15(1):3-14.
- Soto-Angona Ó, Anmella G, Valdés-Florido MJ, De
Uribe-Viloria N, Carvalho AF, Penninx BW. Non-alcoholic fatty liver
disease (NAFLD) as a neglected metabolic companion of psychiatric
disorders: Common pathways and future approaches. BMC Med.
2020;18(1):1-17.
- Finsterer J. Mitochondrial toxicity of antiepileptic
drugs and their tolerability in mitochondrial disorders. Expert Opin Drug
Metab Toxicol. 2012;8(1):71-79.
- Mereškevičienė S, Danila E. Factors influencing
medication adherence in patients with schizophrenia: A systematic review.
Int J Psychiatry Med. 2025;60(1):45-62.
- Reichert G, Hilgert JB, Fuchs SC, Goldem G, Moreira LB,
Gus M, et al. Association between diabetes and hypertension in a Brazilian
population: Results from a community-based study. Arq Bras Cardiol.
2019;113(2):271-277.
- Keith SJ. Evaluating characteristics of patient
selection and dropout rates. J Clin Psychiatry. 2006;67(9):3-8.
- Emsley R. Improving medication adherence in patients
with schizophrenia. CNS Drugs. 2013;27(1):13-23.
- Chapman SC, Horne R. Medication nonadherence and
psychiatry. Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2013;26(5):446-452.
- Hiemke C, Weigmann H, Härtter S, Dahmen N, Wetzel H,
Müller H. Elevated levels of clozapine in serum after addition of
fluvoxamine. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2004;24(2):196-197.
- Hiemke C, Pfuhlmann B. Interactions and combinations
with clozapine. Psychopharmacotherapy. 2012;19(3):91-96.
- Ventriglio A, Gentile A, Bonfitto I, Stella E, Mari M,
Steardo L, et al. Suicide in the early stage of schizophrenia. Front
Psychiatry. 2015;6:116.
- Julaeha E, Wulandari NA, Probosuseno P, Lestari K. The
role of community pharmacists in metabolic syndrome screening for patients
with mental disorders: A systematic review. Int J Clin Pharm.
2021;43(5):1123-1134.
100. Ali S, Ajmal A, Fazal M, Khalil A,
Shah S, Awan S. Metabolic monitoring of patients on antipsychotic medication: A
cross-sectional study from a tertiary care hospital. J Pak Med Assoc.
2020;70(2):234-239.
101. Montejo A, Montejo L, Baldwin DS.
The impact of severe mental disorders and psychotropic medications on sexual
health and its implications for clinical management. World Psychiatry.
2018;17(1):3-11.
102. Pina‐Camacho L, Jensen SK, Gaysina
D, Barker ED. Maternal depression symptoms, unhealthy diet and child
emotional‐behavioural dysregulation. Psychol Med. 2015;45(9):1851-1860.
103. Needham E, Siskind D, Hahn M, Day K,
Pons L, Warren N. Weight management strategies for antipsychotic-induced weight
gain: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Schizophr Bull.
2024;50(2):312-325.
104. Simionato G, Hageman R, Bighelli I,
Leucht S. Metabolic monitoring and management strategies for second-generation
antipsychotics: A comprehensive approach. Eur Psychiatry. 2025;68(1):45-58.