Switching among antipsychotics--focus on side effects.

Depression is a disorder held responsible for high morbidity in the overall population. Causes of depression vary, but lifestyle and stress can greatly contribute to its morbidity. Consumption of antidepressants is showing a trend in the economically developed countries. Apart from antidepressants, the treatment of depression can consist of other psychopharmaca. Depending on the severity of a disorder, that is - of psychotic symptoms, antipsychotics can be introduced in the treatment. Among those atypical antipsychotics have an advantage. This paper will illustrate a course of treatment of a female patient, diagnosed with psychotic depression and treated with antipsychotics (i.e. olanzapine, ziprasidone), to which she developed side effects. To each of the antypsychotics the patient developed side effechts, causing in prolonged treatment and affected its course.