The Brown University Geriatric Psychopharmacology Update articles from October 2004

The Brown University Geriatric Psychopharmacology Update archives from October 2004

Duloxetine finally approved--may offer treatment for both pain and depression in the elderly.(New Medication)
October 1, 2004... In August, Eli Lilly and Co. announced the release of the dual-acting antidepressant, duloxetine (Cymbalta). This medication, which targets both norepinephrine (NE) and serotonin (5-HT), has been touted as an effective treatment for both the...

Treating psychiatric aspects of Parkinson's disease: complexities and recommendations.(Parkinson's Disease)
October 1, 2004... In addition to debilitating physical symptoms that result from Parkinson's disease (PD), more than 60 % of patients often manifest one or more psychiatric symptoms, presenting a daunting task for physicians. In order to assist clinicians in...

Paradoxical reactions to benzodiazepines.(Adverse Drug Events)
October 1, 2004... In addition to their widespread use in the management of generalized anxiety and panic disorders, benzodiazepines are also used either alone or combined with anesthetics to induce sedation. This therapeutic effect is related to their binding to...

Long-acting risperidone effective for schizophrenia in elderly.(What's New In Research)
October 1, 2004... In an open-label study, researchers from Janssen Pharmaceutica reported that an injectable, long-acting formulation of risperidone (Risperdal Consta) was associated with significant improvements in stabilized elderly patients with schizophrenia...

ERT may impact initial AD symptoms.(What's New In Research)(Estrogen replacement therapy for Alzheimer's disease)
October 1, 2004... Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) may offer some benefits to women with Alzheimer's disease (AD), a recent study in the Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology reported. Although there were no significant cognitive differences in women on ERT...

FDA approves ziprasidone for acute bipolar mania.(From the FDA)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The FDA has approved the use of Pfizer Inc.'s atypical antipsychotic ziprasidone (Geodon) for the treatment of acute bipolar mania, including manic and mixed episodes. Researchers found that treatment with ziprasidone rapidly improved acute...

FDA rejects application for new depression drug.(From the FDA)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... According to an Organon press release, the FDA has determined that their new drug application (NDA) for gepirone ER (Ariza) is "not approvable." Organon plans to withdraw the application for gepirone as a treatment for major depressive...

PhRMA establishes clinical trial database.(News Notes)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... To address the growing demand for access to clinical trial results, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of American (PhRMA) are establishing an online database containing the results of all controlled clinical trials completed since...

Donepezil may improve MCI symptoms.(News Notes)(Moderate Alzheimer's diseases)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Donepezil (Aricept), commonly used to treat mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD), may also improve cognitive symptoms in people who suffer from mild cognitive impairment (MCI), according to findings published in the August issue of...

Masking of Parkinson's disease by clozapine.(Case Report)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Patient: male, 64 y/o Medications: Clozapine (Clozaril), lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid), valproate (Depakene) Comment: Comment: A 64 year-old man with a 34-year history of bipolar disorder (predominantly manic) was admitted due to a...

Sertraline (generic): Zoloft (Brand).(Your Medication Information)
October 1, 2004... CLASSIFICATION: A selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant. COMMON USAGE: Sertraline is indicated for treatment of depression, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), premenstrual dysphoric...