Respiratory depression in antipsychotics

Q: Out of the following second generation (atypical) antipsychotics, which one is most prone to cause respiratory depression?

A) Clozapine 
B) Risperidone 
C) Olanzapine 
D) Quetiapine
E) Ziprasidone 


Answer:  D

Quetiapine is the most widely used second-generation antipsychotic in ICUs in the United States. Out of all, an excess of quetiapine is most likely to cause respiratory depression as well as hypotension.



Reference: 

Ngo A, Ciranni M, Olson KR. Acute quetiapine overdose in adults: a 5-year retrospective case series. Ann Emerg Med 2008; 52:541.