This page contains comparison tables, presenting all antipsychotics by:
Why might I want to compare antipsychotics?
After considering how they can help and issues around taking them safely, you might want to know more about the different antipsychotics available to help you talk to your doctor about what's right for you. For example:
- If you have problems with a particular type of drug, such as first generation (older) antipsychotics, and want to avoid them.
- If you need your medication in a different form – for example, you may have problems with swallowing or find it hard to remember to take your medication correctly every day.
- If you have any dietary restrictions, such as being vegetarian or intolerant to some ingredients.
- If the drug's half-life is important to you – for example, if you are concerned about withdrawal effects and would prefer a drug with a longer half-life. For information about what the half-life means and why it matters, see our page about medication half-life.
- If you are worried about the impact of particular side effects, such as weight gain. For information about the side effects of a particular antipsychotic, you can look the drug up in our antipsychotics A–Z.
| Remember: drugs don't work the same way for everyone, and it's important to find a medication that works for you. See our page on receiving the right medication for more information. |
Antipsychotics by generic name and key characteristics
| Generic name |
Trade names (UK) |
Type of antipsychotic |
Forms available |
Half-life |
Dietary considerations |
| amisulpride |
Solian |
2nd generation |
|
about 12 hrs |
tablets contain lactose |
| aripiprazole |
Abilify |
2nd generation |
- tablet
- dissolving tablets
- liquid
- emergency injection
|
75–146 hrs |
tablets contain lactose (dissolving tablets do not) |
| aripiprazole |
Abilify Maintena |
2nd generation depot |
|
30–47 days |
none |
| asenapine |
Sycrest |
2nd generation |
|
about 24 hrs |
contains gelatine |
| benperidol |
Anquil |
1st generation |
|
6–10 hrs |
contains lactose |
| chlorpromazine |
Largactil |
1st generation |
- tablets
- liquid
- emergency injection
- suppositories
|
20–40 hrs |
tablets contain lactose |
| clozapine |
Clozaril Denzapine |
2nd generation |
|
6–26 hrs |
contains lactose |
| flupentixol |
Depixol, Fluanxol, Flupenthixol |
1st generation |
|
about 35 hrs |
contains lactose |
| flupentixol decanoate |
Depixol |
1st generation depot |
|
about 21 days |
contains coconut oil |
| fluphenazine decanoate |
Modecate |
1st generation depot |
|
6–9 days |
contains sesame oil |
| haloperidol |
Dozic, Haldol, Serenace |
1st generation |
|
about 20 hrs |
tablets contain lactose |
| haloperidol decanoate |
Haldol decanoate |
1st generation depot |
|
about 21 days |
contains sesame oil |
| levomepromazine |
Nozinan |
1st generation |
|
about 30 hrs |
none |
| lurasidone |
Latuda |
2nd generation |
|
20–40 hrs |
none |
| olanzapine |
Zyprexa |
2nd generation |
- tablets
- dissolving tablets (Velotab)
- emergency injection
|
32–52 hrs |
tablets contain lactose
(dissolving tablets do not) |
| olanzapine pamoate monohydrate |
ZypAdhera |
2nd generation depot |
|
about 30 days |
none |
| paliperidone |
Invega |
2nd generation |
|
about 23 hrs |
3mg tablets contain lactose |
| paliperidone palmitate |
Xeplion |
2nd generation
depot |
|
25–49 days |
none |
| pericyazine |
Neulactil |
1st generation |
|
about 12 hrs |
tablets contain lactose |
| pimozide |
Orap |
1st generation |
|
about 55 hrs |
none |
pipotiazine palmitate
(discontinued in 2015) |
Piportil depot |
1st generation depot |
|
not available |
contains sesame oil |
| prochlorperazine |
Stemetil |
1st generation |
|
4–8 hrs |
tablets contain lactose |
| promazine |
none |
1st generation |
|
not available |
tablets contain lactose |
| quetiapine |
Atrolak
Biquelle
Ebesque
Seroquel
Tenprolide
Zaluron |
2nd generation |
|
7–12 hrs |
contains lactose |
| risperidone |
Risperdal |
2nd generation |
- tablets
- dissolving tablets (Quicklet)
|
about 24 hrs |
contains lactose
some tablets contain gelatin |
| risperidone |
Risperdal Consta |
2nd generation depot |
|
4–6 days |
none |
| sulpiride |
Dolmatil
Sulpor |
1st generation |
|
about 8 hrs |
tablets contain lactose |
| trifluoperazine |
Stelazine |
1st generation |
|
about 22 hrs |
tablets contain gelatin |
| zuclopenthixol |
Clopixol Acuphase |
1st generation |
|
about 19 days |
contains thin coconut oil |
| zuclopentixol decanoate |
Clopixol |
1st generation depot |
|
about 19 days |
contains thin vegetable oil |
| zuclopenthixol dihydrochloride |
Clopixol |
1st generation |
|
about 24 hrs |
contains lactose |
*dispersible tablets will disintegrate quickly in the mouth or can be mixed with water, orange juice or apple juice
Comparing antipsychotics by type
|
Type of antipsychotic
|
Drug names
|
|
1st generation
|
- benperidol
- flupentixol
- haloperidol
- levomepromazine
- pericyazine
|
- perphenazine
- pimozide
- prochlorperazine
- promazine
|
- sulpiride
- trifluoperazine
- zuclopenthixol
- zuclopenthixol dihydrochloride
|
|
1st generation depot
|
- flupentixol decanoate
- fluphenazine decanoate
|
- haloperidol decanoate
- pipotiazine palmitate
|
|
|
2nd generation
|
- amisulpride
- aripiprazole
- asenapine
|
- clozapine
- lurasidone
- olanzapine
|
- paliperidone
- quetiapine
- risperidone
|
|
2nd generation depot
|
- aripiprazole
- olanzapine pamoate monohydrate
|
|
|
Comparing antipsychotics by half-life
(For information about what the half-life means and why it matters, see our page on medication half-life).
|
Half-life
|
Drug name
|
| 4–8 hours |
prochlorperazine
|
| 6–10 hours |
benperidol |
| 6–26 hours |
clozapine |
| 7–12 hours |
quetiapine |
| about 8 hours |
sulpiride |
| 8–20 hours |
perphenazine |
| about 12 hours |
amisulpride |
| about 12 hours |
pericyazine |
| about 20 hours |
haloperidol |
| 20–40 hours |
chlorpromazine |
| 20–40 hours |
lurasidone |
| about 22 hours |
trifluoperazine |
| about 23 hours |
paliperidone |
| about 24 hours |
asenapine |
| about 24 hours |
risperidone |
| about 24 hours |
zuclopenthixol dihydrochloride |
| about 30 hours |
levomepromazine |
| 32–52 hours |
olanzapine |
| about 35 hours |
flupentixol |
| about 55 hours |
pimozide |
| 75–146 hours |
aripiprazole |
| 4–6 days |
risperidone (depot) |
| 6–9 days |
fluphenazine decanoate |
| about 19 days |
zuclopenthixol |
| about 19 days |
zuclopentixol decanoate |
| about 21 days |
flupentixol decanoate |
| about 21 days |
haloperidol decanoate |
| 25–49 days |
paliperidone palmitate |
| about 30 days |
olanzapine pamoate monohydrate |
| 30–47 days |
aripiprazole (depot) |
| n/a |
pipotiazine palmitate |
| n/a |
promazine |
Comparing antipsychotics by form available
|
Form
|
Antipsychotics available in this form
|
|
tablets
|
- amisulpride
- aripiprazole
- benperidol
- chlorpromazine
- clozapine
- flupentixol
- haloperidol
|
- levomepromazine
- lurasidone
- olanzapine
- paliperidone
- pericyazine
- perphenazine
- pimozide
|
- prochlorperazine
- promazine
- quetiapine
- risperidone
- sulpiride
- trifluoperazine
- zuclopenthixol dihydrochloride
|
|
dissolving tablets
|
|
|
|
|
liquid
|
- amisulpride
- aripiprazole
- chlorpromazine
|
- haloperidol
- pericyazine
- prochlorperazine
|
- promazine
- sulpiride
- trifluoperazine
|
|
injection
|
- aripiprazole
- chlorpromazine
- flupentixol decanoate
- fluphenazine decanoate
- haloperidol
|
- haloperidol decanoate
- olanzapine
- olanzapine pamoate monohydrate
- paliperidone palmitate
|
- pipotiazine palmitate
- prochlorperazine
- risperidone
- zuclopenthixol
- zuclopentixol decanoate
|
|
suppositories
|
|
|
|
Comparing antipsychotics by dietary considerations
| Dietary consideration |
Drugs this applies to |
|
Contains lactose
|
- amisulpride
- aripiprazole
- benperidol
- chlorpromazine
- clozapine
- flupentixol
- haloperidol
- olanzapine
- paliperidone
- pericyazine
- perphenazine
- prochlorperazine
- promazine
- quetiapine
- risperidone
- sulpiride
- zuclopenthixol dihydrochloride
|
|
Contains gelatine
|
- asenapine
- risperidone (some tablets)
- trifluoperazine
|
|
Contains coconut oil
|
- flupentixol decanoate
- zuclopenthixol
|
|
Contains sesame oil
|
- fluphenazine decanoate
- haloperidol decanoate
- pipotiazine palmitate
|
This information was published in 2016. We will revise it in 2019.
