Typical antipsychotics (first-generation)
Typical antipsychotics block dopamine receptors in the brain, which reduces hallucinations, delusions, and agitation. Haloperidol treats schizophrenia and severe agitation and controls the tics of Tourette's disorder. Movement problems are their hallmark side effects, including stiffness, restlessness, tremor, and tardive dyskinesia, along with sleepiness. Rare but serious risks include neuroleptic malignant syndrome and dangerous heart rhythms, and they raise the risk of death in older adults with dementia.