The Brown University Geriatric Psychopharmacology Update articles from September 2003

The Brown University Geriatric Psychopharmacology Update archives from September 2003

Treatment of depression helps non-mood symptoms in Alzheimer disease.(Results From First Depression in Alzheimer's Disease Study)
September 1, 2003... Primary care physicians need to pay attention to signs of depression in their Alzheimer disease (AD) patients, as treating depression in these patients can have secondary benefits on a series of non-mood domains, according to a study published...

Valsartan may raise lithium levels, resulting in drug toxicity.(Drug-Drug Interactions)
September 1, 2003... 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 is lithium retention associated...

Atypicals help with cognition in elderly.(Clinical Notes)(effects of risperidone and olanzapine on elderly schizophrenics' memory)(Author Abstract)
September 1, 2003... A recent study compared the effects Of risperidone and olanzapine on cognition in elderly patients with schizophrenia, finding that low doses improved cognitive function in these patients. The subjects were over 60 years old with a DSM-IV...

Entacapone in fluctuating and non-fluctuating PD.(Clinical Notes)(Parkinson disease)(Author Abstract)
September 1, 2003... A six-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled study found entacapone (a COMT inhibitor) to be beneficial in patients with both fluctuating and non-fluctuating response to levodopa treatment for Parkinson's disease (PD). Three hundred patients...

FDA approves new drug therapy for Parkinson's disease.(Clinical Notes)(Food and Drug Administration)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The FDA recently approved the first new treatment in three years for treating Parkinson's disease (PD). Stalevo combines carbidopa, levodopa and entacapone and is indicated for use in idiopathic PD in which patients experience "wearing off"...

Green tea may be neuroprotective in PD.(Clinical Notes)(Parkinson disease)(Author Abstract)
September 1, 2003... A recently published article suggests that polyphenols (also known as flavonoids or catechins) in green tea may have therapeutic properties in Parkinson's disease (PD). The authors note that epidemiological studies have found tea to be...

Eletriptan (generic) ~ Relpax (brand).(Your Medication Information)(migraine treatment)
September 1, 2003... Classification: Anti-migraine; serotonin receptor agonist. Common Usage: Eletriptan is indicated for acute treatment of migraine with or without aura in adults. It is not intended to be used as prophylactic therapy for migraine or for...

Dopamine agonists linked to gambling.(News Updates)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... A recent article in Neurology suggests that excessive gambling may be linked to certain drugs used to treat Parkinson's disease (PD). Examining data from 1,884 patients with Parkinson's disease, researchers found that nine patients were...

Sertraline reduces platelet activity.(News Updates)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... A study published in the journal of the American Heart Association suggests that the antidepressant sertraline (Zoloft) may reduce clotting factors in depressed patients after heart attacks. Blood platelets are stickier and more likely to form...

Non-dopaminergic agent may help in PD.(News Updates)(Parkinson's disease)(istradefylline )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... A study published in Neurology reports that a non-dopamine medication may improve symptoms of advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). The researchers found that istradefylline (KW-6002) reduced by 1.7 hours per day the amount of time that patient's...

New agent reduces Abeta42.(News Updates)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... According to Myriad Genetics, a new drug in development for treating Alzheimer's disease (AD), MPC-7869 (R-flurbiprofen), reduces levels of Abeta42 more effectively than any other compound tested. Abeta42 is the primary constituent of plaques...

Ropinirole delays onset of dyskinesias in PD patients.(News Updates)(movement disorders delayed in Parkinson's disease patients)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The dopamine agonist ropinirole (Requip) significantly delays the onset of dyskinesias compared to levodopa therapy in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), according to findings reported in the Annals of Neurology. Researchers found that...

Eszopiclone improves sleep in elderly subjects with insomnia.(News Update)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... New data concerning the use of eszopiclone (Estorra) for insomnia in elderly patients was presented at the International Congress of the International Psychogeriatric Association. The data are from a Phase III clinical trial in which 231...

Psychotic depression improves with quetiapine without producing EPS.(Case Reports)(extrapyramidal symptoms )(Author Abstract)
September 1, 2003... # Patients: 1 female (80 y/o) Medications: quetiapine (Seroquel) and others Comments: An 80-year-old woman with depression with psychotic features had severe extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) when treated with haloperidol 10 mg/daily and...

Moclobemide may help in frontotemporal dementia.(Case Reports)(Author Abstract)
September 1, 2003... # Patients: 5 male, 1 female (57 to 67 y/o) Medications: moclobemide Comments: An open case series in six patients with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) suggests that the MAO-A inhibitor moclobemide may be useful. Moclobemide, a selective...

Liquid risperidone used for acute mania.(Case Reports)(Author Abstract)
September 1, 2003... Patients: 1 female (69 y/o) Medications: risperidone (Risperdal), gabapentin (Neurontin) Comment: A 69-year-old woman with a history of bipolar I disorder presented with grandiose ideation, euphoria, psychomotor excitement, flight of...