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Antipsychotics

Explains what antipsychotics are used for, how the medication works, possible side effects and information about withdrawal.

How can I compare different antipsychotics?

This page has tables to help you compare antipsychotics by different factors. These are:

Why might I want to compare antipsychotics?

Understanding more about the different antipsychotics available may help you talk to your doctor or psychiatrist about what's right for you, including:

  • If you’ve experienced problems with a particular type of antipsychotic and want to avoid them. For example, if you’ve experienced problems with a first generation (older) antipsychotic and want to change to a newer drug.
  • 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 of 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 certain side effects of your medication.

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

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.

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Generic name Trade names (UK) Type of antipsychotic Forms available Half-life Dietary considerations
amisulpride Solian 2nd generation
  • tablets
  • liquid
 around 12 hours tablets contain lactose
aripiprazole Abilify, Arpoya 2nd generation
  • tablets
  • dissolving tablets
  • liquid
  • emergency injection
 75 to 146 hours tablets contain lactose
aripiprazole (depot) Abilify Maintena 2nd generation depot 29 to 46 days none
asenapine Sycrest 2nd generation
  • dissolving tablets
 around 24 hours contains gelatine
benperidol Anquil 1st generation
  • tablets
 6 to 10 hours contains lactose
cariprazine Reagila 2nd generation
  • capsules
 2 to 8 days contains gelatine
chlorpromazine Chloractil, Largactil 1st generation
  • tablets
  • liquid
  • emergency injection
  • suppositories
 around 30 hours tablets contain lactose and gelatine
clozapine Clozaril, Denzapine, Zaponex 2nd generation
  • tablets
  • dissolving tablets
  • liquid suspension
 6 to 26 hours tablets contain lactose
flupentixol Depixol, Fluanxol 1st generation
  • tablets
 around 35 hours contains lactose
flupentixol decanoate Depixol, Psytixol 1st generation depot 17 to 21 days contains coconut oil
fluphenazine decanoate Modecate 1st generation depot 2.5 to 16 weeks contains sesame oil
haloperidol Haldol, Halkid 1st generation
  • tablets
  • liquid
  • emergency injection
 21 to 24 hours some tablets contain lactose
haloperidol decanoate Haldol decanoate 1st generation depot around 21 days contains sesame oil
levomepromazine Nozinan 1st generation
  • tablets
 around 30 hours none
lurasidone Latuda 2nd generation
  • tablets
 20 to 40 hours none
olanzapine Zalasta, Zyprexa 2nd generation
  • tablets
  • dissolving tablets (Velotab)
  • emergency injection
 31 to 52 hours tablets contain lactose
(dissolving tablets do not)
olanzapine pamoate monohydrate Zypadhera 2nd generation depot around 30 days none
paliperidone Invega 2nd generation
  • slow-release tablets
 around 23 hours 3mg tablets contain lactose
paliperidone palmitate Trevicta, Xeplion 2nd generation
depot

Trevicta: 84 to 139 days

Xeplion: 25 to 49 days

 none
pericyazine Neulactil 1st generation
  • tablets
  • liquid
 around 12 hours tablets contain lactose
pimozide Orap 1st generation
  • tablets
 55 to 150 hours none
prochlorperazine Stemetil 1st generation
  • tablets
  • liquid
  • emergency injection
 4 to 9 hours tablets contain lactose
promazine none 1st generation
  • tablets
  • liquid
 20 to 40 hours tablets contain lactose
quetiapine

Alaquet, Atrolak, Biquelle, Branco, Mintreleg, Seroquel, Tenprolide, 
Zaluron

 2nd generation
  • tablets
  • slow-release tablets
 7 to 12 hours some tablets contain lactose
risperidone Risperdal 2nd generation
  • tablets
  • dissolving tablets (Quicklet)
  • liquid
 3 to 20 hours tablets contain lactose
some tablets contain gelatine
risperidone (depot) Risperdal Consta 2nd generation depot 3 to 6 days none
sulpiride Dolmatil, Sulpor 1st generation
  • tablets
  • liquid
 around 8 hours tablets contain lactose
trifluoperazine Stelazine 1st generation
  • tablets
  • liquid
 around 22 hours tablets contain gelatine
zuclopenthixol Clopixol Acuphase 1st generation
  • emergency injection
 around 19 days contains thin coconut oil
zuclopenthixol decanoate Clopixol 1st generation depot around 19 days contains thin vegetable oil
zuclopenthixol dihydrochloride Clopixol 1st generation
  • tablets
 around 24 hours contains lactose

Antipsychotics by half-life

For information about what the half-life means and why it matters, see our page on medication half-life.

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Half-life

Antipsychotic
3 to 20 hours

risperidone
4 to 9 hours

prochlorperazine
6 to 10 hours benperidol
6 to 26 hours clozapine
7 to 12 hours quetiapine
around 8 hours sulpiride
around 12 hours amisulpride
around 12 hours pericyazine
20 to 40 hours lurasidone
20 to 40 hours promazine
21 to 24 hours haloperidol
around 22 hours trifluoperazine
around 23 hours paliperidone
around 24 hours asenapine
around 24 hours zuclopenthixol dihydrochloride
around 30 hours chlorpromazine
around 30 hours levomepromazine
31 to 52 hours olanzapine
around 35 hours  flupentixol
55 to 150 hours pimozide
75 to 146 hours aripiprazole
2 to 8 days cariprazine
3 to 6 days risperidone (depot)
17 to 112 days fluphenazine decanoate
17 to 21 days flupentixol decanoate
around 19 days zuclopenthixol
around 19 days zuclopenthixol decanoate
around 21 days haloperidol decanoate
25 to 139 days paliperidone palmitate
29 to 46 days aripiprazole (depot)
around 30 days olanzapine pamoate monohydrate

Antipsychotics by form available

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Form

Antipsychotics available in this form

tablets

dispersible (dissolving) tablets

capsules

liquid

depot injection

emergency injection

suppositories

Antipsychotics by dietary considerations

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. 

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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 and bibliography available on request.

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