Since atypical antipsychotics tend to have lower rates of side effects than the conventional agents, they can be invaluable to the treatment of schizophrenia. The risk of side effects does exist, though, and anticholinergic side effects, if left untreated, have the potential to cause serious medical complications. Physicians can help patients avoid these medical complications through awareness of the signs and symptoms of anticholinergic side effects and of effective management of these symptoms.