Which statement best describes antipsychotics?

• A. They treat psychosis and include agents that are typical or atypical.
• B. They treat anxiety disorders.
• C. They are primarily used to treat infections.
• D. They improve cardiovascular performance.

Answer: (A)

Antipsychotics are medications used to treat psychosis, the set of symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized thinking. They come in two main groups: typical (first-generation) and atypical (second-generation) agents. Both types work mainly by blocking dopamine D2 receptors in brain pathways that drive psychotic symptoms, which helps reduce these experiences. The typical antipsychotics are older and tend to cause more movement-related side effects, while the atypical ones were developed to lessen those motor effects and often address a broader range of symptoms, though they can cause metabolic side effects. This combination—treatment of psychosis with agents categorized as typical or atypical—captures what antipsychotics are. They aren’t primarily used for anxiety disorders, infections, or improving cardiovascular performance.