The Brown University Geriatric Psychopharmacology Update articles from July 2004

The Brown University Geriatric Psychopharmacology Update archives from July 2004

Expert addresses lack of data on diagnosing and treating geriatric PTSD.(Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)
July 1, 2004... PRECIS * Lack of elderly specific data on PTSD. * Difficult to diagnose PTSD in elderly, misdiognosis common. * Medical illness often comorbid with PTSD. * Treatment includes pharmacologic and behavioral interventions. *...

Late-life--insomnia--psychiatric and medical comorbidity common.(Sleep Disorders)
July 1, 2004... PRECIS * 42% of elders experience disrupted sleep patterns. * May lead to reduced concentration and response time, impaired memory and diminished activities of daily living and be mistakenly diagnosed as dementia. * Depression,...

Possibile interaction between lithium and ACE Inhibitors or verapamil.(Drug-Drug Interactions)
July 1, 2004... Concurrent use of lithium (Lithobid, Eskalith) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors such as captopril (Captopen) has been reported to result in elevated lithium levels. (1-2) The mechanism of interaction has been postulated to include...

Olanzapine (generic): Zyprexa (brand).(Your Medication Information)
July 1, 2004... CLASSIFICATION: Atypical antipsychotic; mood stabilizer. COMMON USAGE: Oral olanzapine has FDA-approved indications for the treatment of schizophrenia and for the short-term treatment of acute mania or mixed episodes associated with bipolar...

Atypical antipsychotic and stroke risks examined.(What's New In Research)
July 1, 2004... PRECIS * Retrospective, population-based study. * 11,400 medically frail, elderly patients. * Treatment with risperidone, olanzopine or typical antipsychotic. * Risk of stroke not increased with atypicals. In 2003, the FDA...

Cognitive enhancement medication for AD.(What's New In Research)(Alzheimer's disease )
July 1, 2004... PRECIS * REACH, longitudinal, six-site cohort study. * 1,222 care-recipient/care-giver pairs. * Pattern of cognitive enhancement drugs examined. Several medications have been reported to improve the cognitive functioning of...

Clozapine for drug-induced psychosis PD patients.(What's New In Research)(Parkinson's disease )
July 1, 2004... PRECIS * Multi-phase study: placebo-controlled, open-label extension, withdrawal. * PD patients with drug-induced psychosis PD (N=60). * Clozapine * Motor function not significantly worsened with treatment. Dopaminergic...

Link between immune system and Alzheimer's.(News Notes)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... A study in the June issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology identified changes in the immune system of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) treated with an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. In the study, levels of interleukins (IL)...

WHO survey: mental illnesses widespread.(News Notes)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Recent findings from the WHO World Mental Health Survey Consortium concluded that mental illnesses are common and under-treated in many countries. This study, published in the June 2 issue of JAMA, includes data on the prevalence, severity, and...

Olanzapine-induce delirium in elderly patient.(Case Report)
July 1, 2004... Patient: male, 76 y/o Medications: olanzapine (Zyprexa), haloperidol (Haldol), fluoxetine (Prozac) Comment: A 76-year-old man diagnosed with bipolar disorder started taking olanzapine in 1997 and by the middle of 2002 was receiving...

Citalopram and escitalopram label change.(From the FDA)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... The FDA announced changes to the labeling of both escitalopram (Lexapro) and citalopram (Celexa) concerning an adverse drug-drug interaction. The new labeling will state that serotonin syndrome has been reported in two patients who were...