The atypical antipsychotic with the lowest propensity for extrapyramidal side effects and highest risk of agranulocytosis is:

• A Risperidone
• B Olanzapine
• C Quetiapine
• D Clozapine ✓

Explanation

Clozapine has the lowest D2 receptor occupancy in the striatum among antipsychotics, explaining its minimal extrapyramidal side effects; however, it causes agranulocytosis in ~1–2% of patients via an immune-mediated toxic mechanism requiring mandatory weekly blood count monitoring for the first 18 weeks. Risperidone has higher EPS risk than the others; olanzapine and quetiapine have intermediate profiles without significant agranulocytosis risk.

Reference: KD Tripathi, Essentials of Medical Pharmacology, 8th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.