background Assessment of the place of the new generation antipsychotic drugs (atypical antipsychotics, nga) in the treatment of schizophrenia patients is necessary.

aim To present a practical overview of meta-analyses concerning efficacy, side effects and dropout in treatment with nga(olanzapine, risperidone, quetiapine) versus conventional antipsychotics (ca: haloperidol, chloorpromazine).

method Literature search of meta-analyses (1998-2000).

results Compared to ca, anticholinergic comedication is less necessary in treatment with nga: olanzapine and risperidone show slightly more efficacy; treatment with olanzapine results in less dropout. However the validity of these findings is debated. The higher efficacy and smaller dropout rates for nga disappear when compared to ca used in doses of up to 12 mg haloperidolequivalent.

conclusion Conventional antipsychotics still deserve a prominent role in the treatment of schizophrenia.