The Brown University Geriatric Psychopharmacology Update articles from January 2006

The Brown University Geriatric Psychopharmacology Update archives from January 2006

Groundbreaking meta-analysis weighs death risk of atypical antipsychotic use.(Behavioral Disorders in Dementia)
January 1, 2006... precis * Meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled, double-blind trials of atypical antipsychotics in patients with Alzheimer's disease or dementia * Included both published and unpublished trials * Patients taking atypical...

Understanding drug-induced psychosis in Parkinson's disease patients: study provides fuller picture of symptoms and rating scales.(New Research)
January 1, 2006... precis * Study of 160 patients with drug-induced psychosis in Parkinson's disease (PD), one of the largest cohorts to date * Nearly all experienced visual hallucinations; 58% had auditory, tactile, or olfactory hallucinations; and 76%...

Antipsychotics and memantine: possible improvement of behavioral disturbances.(Drug-Drug Interactions)
January 1, 2006... Behavioral disturbances are common clinical features in patients with Alzheimer's disease, and clinically these patients present with symptoms such as agitation, aggression, hallucinations, and sleep disorders. These behavioral symptoms often...

Reality therapy plus donepezil may improve cognition.(What's New in Research)
January 1, 2006... precis * Combining reality orientation therapy with cholinesterase inhibitors may enhance cognition in patients with dementia * A 25-week, randomized, controlled trial of 156 elderly patients with AD, all receiving treatment with...

Conference report: Canadian Psychiatric Association.(depression in Alzheimer's patients)(QTc intervals in geriatric psychiatric patients)(elderly psychiatric patients and electroconvulsive shock therapy)
January 1, 2006... The following are data from poster presentations from the Canadian Psychiatric Association (CPA) Annual Conference, held November 3-6, 2005 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Posters represent preliminary data. Antidepressants for...

Nasal vaccine clears [beta]-amyloid in mouse model of AD.(News Notes)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... A new nasal vaccine shows promise in clearing amyloid [beta]-peptide (A[beta]) in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Immune therapy in mouse models of AD via Abeta immunization or passive administration of Abeta antibodies markedly...

New study suggests vascular risk factors associated with AD.(News Notes)(Alzheimer's disease)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... New study data show vascular risk factors may increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and current smoking were associated with a higher risk of AD (p<0.10) when analyzed individually, with the risk...

Sleep habits and prescription sleep-aid concerns.(News Notes)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Results from a new Gallup survey, released November 3, 2005 by the International Longevity Center-USA (ILC), suggest that nearly half of older adults get less than seven and a half hours of sleep per night, and 25% believe they have a sleep...

Prescription drug prices for the elderly continue to increase.(News Notes)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Prices of brand name prescription drugs that are most often used by older patients increased by 6.6%, more than twice the inflation rate (3.0%), between 2004 and 2005. According to a study released on August 16, carried out by the AARP Public...

Aripiprazole and treatment-emergent psychosis.(Case Report)
January 1, 2006... Patient: female, 57 y/o Medications: perphenazine, aripiprazole (Abilify), ziprasidone, (Zeldox, Geodon), quetiapine (Seroquel) Comment: The patient had been under treatment by a geriatric psychiatrist for schizoaffective disorder,...

From the FDA.(drug approvals)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... New generic drug approvals (final and tentative) from the FDA include: [check] approval (10/31/05) for citalopram hydrobromide in oral tablet formulations of 10 mg, 20 mg, 40 mg, manufactured by Pliva Hrvatska; [check] tentative...