Improvement without impairment: a review of clinical data for quetiapine in the treatment of schizophrenia.

Quetiapine fumarate is an atypical antipsychotic medication approved for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. Quetiapine is superior to placebo and at least equivalent to haloperidol for improving a broad range of symptoms encountered in patients with schizophrenia, including positive symptoms, negative symptoms, affective symptoms, and cognitive outcomes. Available data comparing quetiapine with other atypical antipsychotics, while limited, suggest it is as efficacious as other atypical agents and has a favorable tolerability profile; in particular, the incidence of motor adverse effects and prolactin elevation is comparable to that of placebo across its entire dose range. The favorable overall effectiveness of quetiapine suggests it is well suited for the long-term treatment of patients with psychotic disorders.