The Brown University Geriatric Psychopharmacology Update articles from January 2005

The Brown University Geriatric Psychopharmacology Update archives from January 2005

Late-life alcohol abuse: finding solutions to a hidden medical problem.(Substance Abuse)
January 1, 2005... You might expect an illness that causes brain damage, cardiomyopathy, hypertension, liver disease, disabilities and social isolation to command attention as a pressing problem. Unfortunately, healthcare providers tend to overlook and undertreat...

Pros and cons of using ECT in the elderly: severely depressed elderly patients may respond better to ECT than to antidepressants.(Electroconvulsive Therapy)
January 1, 2005... Elderly patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) experienced a good acute therapeutic response to both electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and antidepressant therapy in a research trial published in the Journal of ECT. However the major...

Does benzodiazepine use increase the risk of hip fracture?(Adverse Events)
January 1, 2005... The benzodiazepines are commonly prescribed drugs in elderly patients, accounting for more than 71 million prescriptions in 2002. (1) The popularity of the benzodiazepines has raised concerns regarding their safety profile, especially the risk...

Pharmacogenetics and geriatric depression.(What's New In Research)
January 1, 2005... Gene variants that affect the function or expression levels of the serotonin transporter could alter the pharmacodynamics of antidepressants, leading to an increase in adverse effects and/or decreases in efficacy. A study in the Archives of...

Venlafaxine for dysthymic disorder.(What's New In Research)
January 1, 2005... Dysthymic disorder (DD), a chronic depressive illness that is less severe than major depressive disorder, affects significant number of the elderly population. In an open-label trial, researchers from Columbia University examined the use of...

Long-term galantamine treatment may slow decline of AD patients.(What's New In Research)(Alzheimer's disease treatment)
January 1, 2005... Cholinesterase inhibitors have demonstrated efficacy in improving symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and delaying the cognitive decline associated with the disease. But, will long-term treatment continue to show benefits for patients with...

Editor's top five: psychopharmacology issues to watch for in 2005.
January 1, 2005... 1. Regulatory changes: Possible changes in how the FDA assesses post-market safety; freely available clinical trial database. 2. Atypical antipsychotics: Will there be an impact on atypical use due to the recently added warnings concerning...

Rolipram protects synaptic function and memory in mice.(News Notes)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... In a study published in the December issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers reported that the drug rolipram protects synaptic function and memory in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Their results suggest that the...

Researchers find gene mutations central to Parkinson's.(News Notes)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... A study published in the journal Neuron posits that a mutation of the large, multi-functional protein LRRK2 (leucinerich repeat kinase 2) is central to the pathogenesis of several major neurodegenerative disorders associated with Parkinson's...

Donepezil use with ECT.(Case Report)
January 1, 2005... Patient: Male, 75 y/o Medications: Donepezil (Aricept), fluvoxamine (Luvox), risperidone (Risperdal) Comment: A 75-year-old man with major depressive disorder presented with a recurrence of major depression complicated by delirium. His...

FDA approves memantine for mild Alzheimer's disease.(From the FDA)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The FDA has accepted Forest Laboratories' filing of its supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) to expand the indication of memantine (Namenda) to include treatment of mild Alzheimer's disease (AD). The drug is currently the only approved...

FDA approves hydromorphone for pain management.(From the FDA)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The FDA has approved hydromorphone extended-release (Palladone) capsules for the management of persistent, moderate to severe pain in patients who need continuous analgesia with a high potency opioid for an extended period of time. The capsules...

Acamprosate (generic): campral (brand).(Your Medication Information)
January 1, 2005... CAMPRAL (BRAND) CLASSIFICATION: Alcoholism abstinence medication. COMMON USAGE: Acamprosate is indicated for the maintenance of abstinence from alcohol in patients with alcohol dependence. Acamprosate treatment should begin immediately...