Explains what antipsychotics are used for, how the medication works, possible side effects and information about withdrawal.
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This page has tables to help you compare antipsychotics by different factors. These are:
Understanding more about the different antipsychotics available may help you talk to your doctor or psychiatrist about what's right for you, including:
Each of these drugs may be known by several different names, which we have listed below under the Generic name and Trade names columns. See our page on drug names for more information.
Generic name | Trade names (UK) | Type of antipsychotic | Forms available | Half-life | Dietary considerations |
amisulpride | Solian | 2nd generation |
|
about 12 hours | tablets contain lactose |
aripiprazole | Abilify, Arpoya | 2nd generation |
|
75–146 hours | tablets contain lactose |
aripiprazole (depot) | Abilify Maintena | 2nd generation depot | 29–46 days | none | |
asenapine | Sycrest | 2nd generation |
|
about 24 hours | contains gelatine |
benperidol | Anquil | 1st generation |
|
6–10 hours | contains lactose |
cariprazine | Reagila | 2nd generation |
|
2–8 days | contains gelatine |
chlorpromazine | Chloractil, Largactil | 1st generation |
|
about 30 hours | tablets contain lactose and gelatine |
clozapine | Clozaril, Denzapine, Zaponex | 2nd generation |
|
6–26 hours | tablets contain lactose |
flupentixol | Depixol, Fluanxol | 1st generation |
|
about 35 hours | contains lactose |
flupentixol decanoate | Depixol, Psytixol | 1st generation depot | 17–21 days | contains coconut oil | |
fluphenazine decanoate | Modecate | 1st generation depot | 2.5–16 weeks | contains sesame oil | |
haloperidol | Haldol, Halkid | 1st generation |
|
21–24 hours | some tablets contain lactose |
haloperidol decanoate | Haldol decanoate | 1st generation depot | about 21 days | contains sesame oil | |
levomepromazine | Nozinan | 1st generation |
|
about 30 hours | none |
lurasidone | Latuda | 2nd generation |
|
20–40 hours | none |
olanzapine | Zalasta, Zyprexa | 2nd generation |
|
31–52 hours | tablets contain lactose (dissolving tablets do not) |
olanzapine pamoate monohydrate | Zypadhera | 2nd generation depot | about 30 days | none | |
paliperidone | Invega | 2nd generation |
|
about 23 hours | 3mg tablets contain lactose |
paliperidone palmitate | Trevicta, Xeplion | 2nd generation depot |
Trevicta: 84–139 Xeplion: 25–49 days |
none | |
pericyazine | Neulactil | 1st generation |
|
about 12 hours | tablets contain lactose |
pimozide | Orap | 1st generation |
|
55–150 hours | none |
prochlorperazine | Stemetil | 1st generation |
|
4–9 hours | tablets contain lactose |
promazine | none | 1st generation |
|
20–40 hours | tablets contain lactose |
quetiapine |
Alaquet, Atrolak, Biquelle, Branco, Mintreleg, Seroquel, Tenprolide, |
2nd generation |
|
7–12 hours | some tablets contain lactose |
risperidone | Risperdal | 2nd generation |
|
3–20 hours | tablets contain lactose some tablets contain gelatine |
risperidone (depot) | Risperdal Consta | 2nd generation depot | 3–6 days | none | |
sulpiride | Dolmatil, Sulpor | 1st generation |
|
about 8 hours | tablets contain lactose |
trifluoperazine | Stelazine | 1st generation |
|
about 22 hours | tablets contain gelatine |
zuclopenthixol | Clopixol Acuphase | 1st generation |
|
about 19 days | contains thin coconut oil |
zuclopenthixol decanoate | Clopixol | 1st generation depot | about 19 days | contains thin vegetable oil | |
zuclopenthixol dihydrochloride | Clopixol | 1st generation |
|
about 24 hours | contains lactose |
For information about what the half-life means and why it matters, see our page on medication half-life.
Half-life |
Antipsychotic |
3–20 hours | |
4–9 hours | |
6–10 hours | benperidol |
6–26 hours | clozapine |
7–12 hours | quetiapine |
about 8 hours | sulpiride |
about 12 hours | amisulpride |
about 12 hours | pericyazine |
20–40 hours | lurasidone |
20–40 hours | promazine |
21–24 hours | haloperidol |
about 22 hours | trifluoperazine |
about 23 hours | paliperidone |
about 24 hours | asenapine |
about 24 hours | zuclopenthixol dihydrochloride |
about 30 hours | chlorpromazine |
about 30 hours | levomepromazine |
31–52 hours | olanzapine |
about 35 hours | flupentixol |
55–150 hours | pimozide |
75–146 hours | aripiprazole |
2–8 days | cariprazine |
3–6 days | risperidone (depot) |
17–112 days | fluphenazine decanoate |
17–21 days | flupentixol decanoate |
about 19 days | zuclopenthixol |
about 19 days | zuclopenthixol decanoate |
about 21 days | haloperidol decanoate |
25–139 days | paliperidone palmitate |
29–46 days | aripiprazole (depot) |
about 30 days | olanzapine pamoate monohydrate |
Certain brands of individual drugs may have other dietary restrictions that aren’t listed in the tables below. If you are concerned about this, you can check the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) included in the box with your medication. This will include a full list of your medication's ingredients.
Dietary consideration | Antipsychotics with these considerations |
Contains lactose (only applies to the tablet form of the drug, unless specified) |
|
Contains gelatine |
|
Contains coconut oil |
|
Contains sesame oil |
|
Contains vegetable oil |
This information was published in September 2020. We will revise it in 2023.
References are available on request. If you would like to reproduce any of this information, see our page on permissions and licensing.