The Brown University Geriatric Psychopharmacology Update articles from May 2003

The Brown University Geriatric Psychopharmacology Update archives from May 2003

Debate continues about whether estrogen protects against Alzheimer's disease in postmenopausal women. (Hormone Therapy).(research from University of Wisconsin Medical School)
May 1, 2003... A team of researchers from the University of Wisconsin Medical School recently released findings from a study that evaluated the effects of estrogen on Ab40 plasma concentration in postmenopausal women with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Sanjay...

Phenytoin levels increase in the presence of fluorouracil. (Drug-Drug Interactions).
May 1, 2003... Phenytoin (Dilantin) is an anticonvulsant drug with a narrow therapeutic index. The efficacy and toxicity of phenytoin are related to its plasma concentration. Therefore, drug interactions with resultant plasma concentration changes could...

Olanzapine shown to be beneficial in open-label trial for psychosis in geriatric patients with a range of diagnoses.
May 1, 2003... Researchers in Taiwan examined 94 admissions to the geropsychiatric ward of the Veterans General Hospital-Tapei who were administered olanzapine for psychosis related to schizophrenia, delusional or mood disorders, dementia, delirium or other...

Galantamine studied in AChEI-exposed patients. (Clinical Notes).
May 1, 2003... Researchers found galantamine to be effective and safe in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) who had previously received acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs). The investigators conducted a post hoc analysis of 446 patients with prior...

Researchers examine EEG changes with rivastigmine. (Clinical Notes).
May 1, 2003... Researchers used quantitative electroencephalogram data to study the effects of rivastigmine (Exelon) in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with dementia. Noting that EEG abnormalities often parallel the degree of change in a patient's mental...

Long-acting risperidone does not increase dyskinesia. (New research: safety of psychotropic drugs in geriatric patients).
May 1, 2003... In an open-label trial of long-acting risperidone (Risperdal), researchers found that tardive dyskinesia (TD) did not develop in elderly patients, including high-risk female patients. A total of 57 elderly patients with schizophrenia or...

Rate of AEs with escitalopram similar in elderly patients. (New research: safety of psychotropic drugs in geriatric patients).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Investigators reviewed safety data for escitalopram (Lexapro) in elderly patients and found a similar rate of discontinuation due to adverse events (AEs) as found in younger patients. Data were obtained from five randomized, double-blind,...

Chart review finds high doses of quetiapine safe in the elderly. (New research: safety of psychotropic drugs in geriatric patients).
May 1, 2003... A chart review at a psychiatric inpatient unit was conducted in order to assess the efficacy and safety of quetiapine (Seroquel) at doses of 200 mg or greater in elderly patients. The charts for 28 patients 65 years or older who were treated...

Mirtazapine assessed for depression in elderly patients. (New research: safety of psychotropic drugs in geriatric patients).
May 1, 2003... A group of researchers conducted a multi-site, open-label trial to assess the effectiveness and safety of mirtazapine orally disintegrating tablets (Remeron SolTab) in subjects at least 50 years old. The subjects were diagnosed with depression...

Alcohol use may influence risk of dementia in older adults. (News Updates).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Moderate alcohol consumption may reduce the risk of dementia in older adults, according to findings in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Researchers found that compared with abstention, the odds for dementia were lower...

Alzinfo.org launches Alzheimer's chatroom. (News Updates).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Alzinfo.org, a Web site that offers Alzheimer's information and resources, launched a chatroom for people with AIzheimer's disease (AD), their friends and family, caregivers and medical professionals. Alzchat will be located on the Alzinfo web...

Brain lesions may help predict cognitive function in old age. (News Updates).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Age-related changes in the brain may affect cognitive function in old age, according to findings in the March issue of Psychology and Aging. Researchers found that the amount of white-matter lesions in the brain contributed to general cognitive...

Donepezil studied for non-Alzheimer's dementia. (News Updates).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Two recent studies have shown donepezil (Aricept) to be beneficial in patients with either mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or Parkinson's-related dementia. Data from the studies was presented at the 55th annual meeting of the American Academy...

Pfizer and Pharmacia combine operations. (News Updates).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2003... Pfizer and Pharmacia Corporation announced in April that they have merged operations to create the world's largest research-based pharmaceutical company. The merger was originally announced in July, 2002. The deal was approved by the U.S....

Aripiprazole (generic) ~ Abilify (brand). (Your Medication Information).
May 1, 2003... Classification: Antipsychotic. Common Usage: Aripiprazole is indicated for the treatment of schizophrenia. Common Dosages: The recommended starting dose of aripiprazole is 10 or 15 mg/ day taken once daily. Dosage increases should not...