Clinical Psychiatry News articles from August 2005

Clinical Psychiatry News archives from August 2005

Physicians resist alcoholism Rx.(News)
August 1, 2005... SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. -- Newer pharmacologic treatments for alcohol dependence roughly double abstinence rates and significantly reduce heavy alcohol use among patients who return to drinking, a growing body of evidence suggests. But...

Total number of discharges for psychoses falls for the first time in 10 years.(VITAL SIGNS)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Total Number of Discharges for Psychoses Falls for the First Time in 10 Years Note: Based on a weighted national estimate from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Source: Agency for Healthcare...

VNS therapy is approved for severe depression: strict conditions placed on use of device.(News)(vagus nerve stimulation )
August 1, 2005... The Food and Drug Administration's approval of vagus nerve stimulation for treatment-resistant depression makes it the first device since electroconvulsive therapy to be approved for a psychiatric disorder. "This may be the first of a...

High impairment found in subthreshold bipolarity.(News)
August 1, 2005... PITTSBURGH -- Subthreshold bipolar disorder is highly prevalent and disabling, according to a nationwide survey of more than 9,000 Americans sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health. About 2% of the U.S. adult population has...

New advisory on antidepressants, adults.(News)
August 1, 2005... The Food and Drug Administration is strongly advising health care providers and patients to be aware of a potential increased risk of suicidal behavior in adults who take antidepressants. The agency recommended a closer reading of current...

AMA delegates divided on pay-for-performance details.(News)(American Medical Association)
August 1, 2005... CHICAGO -- The American Medical Association's new policy on pay for performance will limit its ability to negotiate with Congress, several medical specialty society groups claim. Tensions surfaced at the annual meeting of the AMA's House of...

Nation's capital latest to attempt tort reform.(News)
August 1, 2005... The District of Columbia is the latest in a growing number of jurisdictions trying to combat rising malpractice insurance premiums among physicians, as legislators there battle over whether the best solution is damage caps or increased...

Physician malpractice judgments and settlements on the rise.(DATA WATCH)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Physician Malpractice Judgments and Settlements on the Rise Note: Based on yearly averages of 184,506 payments (judgments and settlements) made during 1991-2003 in the United States. Source: Health Affairs

FDA panel delays changes to Concerta label.(News)
August 1, 2005... ROCKVILLE, MD. -- A Food and Drug Administration panel has recommended postponing changes to safety warnings in the label for Concerta, a stimulant widely prescribed for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. The FDA's Pediatric...

Adderall XR gets indication for adolescent ADHD.(News)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Adderall XR is now indicated for the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in adolescents aged 13-17 years. The Food and Drug Administration approved the expanded indication in mid-July, based on the results of a randomized,...

Government agency in U.K. seeks more data from manufacturers of Alzheimer's drugs.(News)(National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence)
August 1, 2005... Coverage of Alzheimer's treatments in the United Kingdom is still up in the air as the agency that determines coverage seeks more data from the drug makers. "Regardless of the outcomes of the [National Institute for Health and Clinical...

Attacks harm our patients.(antipsychiatry remarks by Tom Cruise)(Column)
August 1, 2005... Tom Cruise's recent antipsychiatry remarks were at best intriguing and at worst ignorant. After all, Mr. Cruise is an actor who, as far as I know, has no medical training, yet speaks with authority about medicine in general and psychiatry in...

Author questions review's criticisms.(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2005... My memoir of raising children with depression and bipolar disorder has received many reviews, but few have been as sensitive and understanding as that of Dr. Rodrigo A. Munoz ("Acquainted With the Night," Books, the Children of the Brain, May...

Book review kept 'Promise of Sleep'.(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2005... Many thanks to Rodrigo Munoz, M.D., for his review of "The Promise of Sleep" by William Dement, M.D. (Books, the Children of the Brain, February 2005, p. 88). I am a psychiatrist who has taught family medicine residents for the last 24...

'The Woodsman': a different view.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2005... Without trying to detract one bit from Dr. Roland Atkinson's as usual great commentary, I disagree with some his observations in his analysis of "The Woodsman" ("The Soul of a Pedophile," Reel Life, June 2005, p. 16). For one thing, Dr....

Schizophrenia or tardive dyskinesia?(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2005... I found Dr. Carl C. Bell's column on the prophylactic use of antipsychotics a little disconcerting ("Early Intervention Key to Schizophrenia Tx," February 2005, p. 48). Before and during 20 years of antipsychotic treatment, his patient...

Gender variance not caused by parents.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2005... Given the absence of conclusive scientific evidence, therapists might feel that they have no option but to speculate. But generalizing from anecdotal evidence can lead to regrettable mistakes ("Maternal Issues May Predispose Desire for Gender...

Medicare's 'new math' doesn't add up.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2005... According to the AMA Member Connect survey, if Medicare payments are cut by 5% in 2006, 54% of medical practices will defer the purchase and implementation of medical information technology. Now Medicare officials are proposing that...

Will health savings accounts leave people vulnerable to bankruptcy?(PRO & CON)
August 1, 2005... YES When we studied more than 900 people who had filed for personal bankruptcy, more than half of them cited medical causes (Health Aff. [Millwood] Feb. 2, 2005; [Web exclusive]). This was true even though three-quarters of the debtors had...

A different take on motivation.(GUEST EDITORIAL)
August 1, 2005... Motivation is an essential aspect of behavior, healthy adaptation, and quality of life. As clinicians, we see disorders of increased and decreased intensity, as well as conditions of dysregulated motivation. It seems to me that thinking...

Findings of survey on mental illness: 'nonsense'.(FINK! STILL AT LARGE)
August 1, 2005... The recent survey showing that almost half of Americans meet DSM criteria for a mental illness at some point in their lives raises questions about the way in which mental illnesses are classified. In fact, experts such as Paul R. McHugh, M.D.,...

Revisiting a classic: The Snake Pit.(REEL LIFE)
August 1, 2005... The title of Anatole Litvak's 1948 classic film, "The Snake Pit," conjures violent images of harsh care of the mentally ill. In fact this melodramatic movie is historically important for its surprisingly sophisticated, well-nuanced depiction of...

Psychotherapy can reduce mood disorder relapse.(Adult Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... SANTA FE, N.M. -- Psychotherapy can work at least as well as medication, and often prevents relapse in mood disorder patients who do not do well on pharmacotherapy alone, Ellen Frank, Ph.D., said at a psychiatric symposium sponsored by the...

Personality traits can predict best treatment for depression.(Adult Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... ATLANTA -- Physicians can use the assessment of dimensional personality traits as a way to select the most effective treatment for depressed patients, according to R. Michael Bagby, Ph.D., and his colleagues at the University of Toronto's...

Spectrum mania bridges unipolar/bipolar gap.(Adult Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... PITTSBURGH -- About a third of patients with unipolar depression actually have "lifetime spectrum mania," which means they also have symptoms of mania and anxiety disorders, based on results from a study with 148 patients. Lifetime spectra...

Atypical quetiapine appears effective for bipolar depression.(Adult Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... SAN DIEGO -- The atypical antipsychotic quetiapine led to significantly greater reductions in bipolar depression than did placebo within the first week of treatment and throughout an 8-week randomized, controlled study of 511 patients. Andrew...

Bipolar boosts depression risk during pregnancy: findings suggest 'urgent need' for better screening and detection of bipolar-spectrum disorders.(Adult Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... PITTSBURGH -- Women with a history of bipolar disorder have an increased risk of developing depression during and after pregnancy, based on a review of more than 2,000 pregnant women. A history of unipolar depression also predisposed women...

Diabetes can complicate depression in pregnant women.(Adult Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... SAN DIEGO -- Women with diabetes and untreated depression who become pregnant face a host of risks to themselves and their fetus if their conditions are not managed properly, Laura J. Miller, M.D., warned at the annual scientific sessions of...

Impotence drugs not being prescribed properly.(Adult Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... SANTA FE, N.M. -- Psychiatrists underprescribe erectile dysfunction drugs, and primary care physicians prescribe them like aspirin to virtually any man who asks, H. George Nurnberg, M.D., said at a psychiatric symposium sponsored by the...

Multidisciplinary task can be used in apathy: team might include neuropsychologist, behavioral therapist, and neuropsychiatric social worker.(Adult Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... BAL HARBOUR, FLA. -- Appropriate treatment of apathy, abulia, and akinetic mutism requires an accurate diagnosis of impairment type, individualized treatment, and optimized general medical care using a multidisciplinary approach, according to...

Psychosocial therapy is good adjunct to drugs in bipolar.(Adult Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... PITTSBURGH -- Psychosocial therapy can be a useful adjunct to drug therapy in patients with bipolar disorder, based on results from a study with 175 patients. The study's findings also documented the high prevalence of medical...

Pain relievers.(Adult Psychiatry)(Cartoon)
August 1, 2005... "If your plumage fans for more than 4 hours, consult your physician."

The art of Leora Miller.(VISIONARY ART)
August 1, 2005... Leora Miller derives inspiration for her paintings from the work of 19th and 20th century painters Edward Hopper, Vincent Van Gogh, and especially Kathe Kollwitz. Kollwitz's work depicted the impoverished and working poor of her native Germany...

Complicated grief.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Among bereaved subjects, complicated grief treatment appears to have a higher response rate and faster response time than interpersonal psychotherapy, reported Katherine Shear, M.D., and her associates at the University of Pittsburgh. In a...

Attempted suicide in the elderly.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... A collaborative approach to recognizing and treating elderly patients who are at risk for suicide attempts can help to manage the problem, reported Joshua Tsoh, M.B., a psychiatrist at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and his colleagues....

Parents of sick children.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Parents of children recently diagnosed with cancer report significant psychological distress and weight gain, compared with parents of healthy children, reported A.W. Smith of the University of Pittsburgh and associates. In a longitudinal,...

Cigarettes linked to MS progression.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)
August 1, 2005... Cigarette smoking may hasten the clinical deterioration of patients with multiple sclerosis. Miguel A. Hernan, M.D., and colleagues have said. Dr. Hernan, of the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, and his associates examined the...

Medication compliance vital in schizophrenia Tx.(Adult Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... SANTA FE, N.M. -- Finding an antipsychotic medication the patient will take is more important than finding the best medication for a person newly diagnosed with schizophrenia, Samuel J. Keith, M.D., said at a psychiatric symposium sponsored by...

Treatment response and compliance are rarely absolute in schizophrenia.(Adult Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... NEW YORK -- In schizophrenia, black-and-white thinking fails to capture the reality of treatment response and compliance. An appreciation of the wide middle ground can help clinicians understand relapse issues and the relative efficacy of...

Cognitive side effects of anticholinergics.(EVIDENCE-BASED PSYCHIATRIC MEDICINE)
August 1, 2005... The Problem You have a patient diagnosed with schizophrenia who does well with a typical antipsychotic. He experiences extrapyramidal symptoms, and treatment with an anticholinergic is indicated. You are concerned about potential cognitive...

Training may help weight-preoccupied women: women's self-esteem, self-concept improve after engaging in extensive strength-building program.(Adult Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... NASHVILLE, TENN. -- Weight training appears to change the way women with characteristics of disordered eating perceive their body size, Annie C. Wetter, Ph.D., wrote in a poster at the annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine....

Body dysmorphic disorder is often chronic and undertreated.(Adult Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... BOCA RATON, FLA. -- Most patients with body dysmorphic disorder experience it as a chronic condition and are undertreated, but cause and effect remain unclear, according to the first prospective long-term study in this population. Body...

Weigh nondrug options for postpartum depression.(Adult Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... NEW YORK -- Nonpharmacologic treatments are particularly worth considering when mood problems develop during pregnancy and in the postpartum period, Linda S. Mullen, M.D., said at an obstetrics symposium sponsored by Columbia University and New...

Factor ethnicity into drug treatment--Part 2: patients with slow or 'superfast' metabolism of drugs are more common in certain ethnic groups.(PRACTICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY)
August 1, 2005... The biologic aspects of ethnopharmacology are complex. Ethnicity cannot be reduced to genetically distinct categories, but an awareness of characteristic distributions of genotypes and phenotypes that affect pharmacokinetics can inform...

Pregnancy often triggers bipolar relapse, studies show.(Adult Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... PITTSBURGH -- Pregnancy can trigger a relapse in women with bipolar disorder, especially if they stop their mood-stabilizing treatment. Although data from several studies are conflicting, a prospective study showed that about two-thirds of...

Pledges to delay sex do not stop STDs: findings put new spin on programs that stress abstinence as only way to avoid infections.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... Teens who take a sexual abstinence pledge delay their sexual debut for a few years, but they have just as many sexually transmitted infections as nonpledgers, probably because they are more likely to engage in noncoital sex and aren't as likely...

On Rutgers Web site, teens answer others teens' questions about sex.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)(Sex, Etc. )
August 1, 2005... LOS ANGELES -- If one goes to Google on the Internet and types in the word "sex," the first Web site listed is the place where about 60,000 adolescents a day go for their sex information, with the kinds of questions they are not likely to want...

Some teens don't view pregnancy as an impediment to achieving goals.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... NEW ORLEANS -- Higher educational and career goals among adolescent girls are widely considered to be protective against pregnancy, but a recent study suggests that this is true only among those who specifically view pregnancy as an impediment...

ADHD drug eases anxiety, not depression.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... WASHINGTON -- The attention-deficit hyperactivity drug atomoxetine does not appear to improve comorbid depression in adolescents, but it does appear to reduce comorbid anxiety in children and adolescents, according to data from two studies...

Drug helps manage teens' ADHD symptoms.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... SAN FRANCISCO -- Extended-release methylphenidate is effective in reducing the symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in adolescents, Linda Pfiffner, Ph.D., said at a meeting on clinical pediatrics sponsored by the University of...

Low serum cholesterol in non-African Americans associated with suspensions.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... Low total serum cholesterol is associated with an increased likelihood of school suspensions and expulsions among non-African American children, said Jian Zhang, M.D., of the University of South Carolina, Columbia, and associates. The...

Predicting STIs in adolescents.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(sexually transmitted infection )(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... In a prospective cohort study of 11,594 adolescents, those who believed that their parents strongly disapproved of adolescent sex had a significantly lower rate of sexually transmitted infection (5.5%), compared with those who believed that...

Early asthma and behavior.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... In a prospective, longitudinal study of 5,135 children, those who had developed asthma or bronchitis by age 5 years were significantly more likely to have internalizing behavior problems at age 14 years, reported Rosa Alati, Ph.D., of the...

Teachers report on atomoxetine.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... Children aged 8-12 years with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder who took a once-daily dose of atomoxetine showed a significant reduction in symptoms after 7 weeks, reported Margaret Weiss, M.D., of the University of British Columbia in...

Metoclopramide treats Tourette's.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... A daily dose of metoclopramide decreased tic severity by 38.7% in children aged 7-18 years with Tourette's disorder, compared with a 12.6% reduction in a placebo group, reported Rob Nicholson, M.D., of the University of Western Ontario in...

Teens embrace alternative medicine.(CLINICAL CAPSULES)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... In a cross-sectional survey of 401 adolescents aged 12-18 years, 68.1% reported using one or more forms of alternative or complementary medicine, said Carie A. Braun, Ph.D., of the College of St. Benedict, St. Joseph, Minn., and her associates....

Fallacies about anorexia undermine treatment: rethinking psychosocial model can help stop parents from blaming themselves for children's condition.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... PORTLAND, ORE. -- Despite common perceptions among medical professionals and the general public, anorexia nervosa is not a psychosocial disease, Julie K. O'Toole, M.D., said at a conference sponsored by the North Pacific Pediatric Society. ...

Prescribing exercise may improve cognition in obese kids.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... BOSTON -- A prescription for exercise may do more than boost obese children's physical health. It also may improve how they think, results of a study have shown. The findings are consistent with recent work demonstrating exercise-induced...

Drugs make other autism interventions easier.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... SANTA FE, N.M. -- Pharmacotherapy does not cure autism, but it can make autistic children accessible to other modes of treatment, Bennett L. Leventhal, M.D., said at a psychiatric symposium sponsored by the University of Arizona. "There...

Consider genetic disorder in some milder autism cases.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)(Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome )
August 1, 2005... GRAPEVINE, TEX. -- Physicians need to be alert to a cause of autism that might not be immediately apparent in milder cases, a Colorado pediatrician warned. Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS), a disorder caused by a defect in the cholesterol...

Disabled children aged 6-21 years served through public special education services.(DATA WATCH)
August 1, 2005... Disabled Children Aged 6-21 Years Served Through Public Special Education Services Source: U.S. Department of Education

Childhood sleep apnea may affect memory, IQ.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIF. -- Obstructive sleep apnea in children is associated with profound deficits in IQ, verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, and working memory, according to preliminary results of a case-control study at the Pediatric...

Reserve polysomnography for high-risk sleep apnea.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... PORTLAND, ORE. -- Polysomnography may be the gold standard in the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea, but in children it should be reserved for high-risk patients, Mark A. Richardson, M.D., said at a conference sponsored by the North Pacific...

Sleep-disordered breathing may lead to irreversible cognitive deficits.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... ATLANTA -- Cognitive deficits in children treated for sleep-disordered breathing may not be totally reversible, Jane F. Gaultney, Ph.D., of the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, and her associates reported in a poster session at a meeting...

New study: hypnotic agents may prevent falls.(Geriatric Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... DENVER -- The conventional wisdom holding that prescribing hypnotic agents for nursing home patients increases their risk of falling and hip fracture may not be correct. A recent study involving more than 34,000 Michigan nursing home...

Ramelteon improves chronic insomnia in elderly.(Geriatric Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... BOCA RATON, FLA. -- The newly approved drug ramelteon significantly reduced sleep latency and increased total sleep time in a phase III study of elderly patients with chronic insomnia. In addition, researchers reported no evidence of next-day...

Is drink a day good for women?(Geriatric Psychiatry)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2005... A drink a day appears to protect elderly women from cognitive decline, according to new data from the ongoing Nurses' Health Study. During a 2-year follow-up study, interviewers administered four cognitive tests to more than 11,000 women...

Statins don't cut dementia risk.(Geriatric Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... Statins do not appear to decrease the risk of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, as several studies have suggested, reported Peter P. Zandi, Ph.D., of Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, and his associates. At least six...

Contingency management increases abstinence.(Addiction Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... SAN JUAN, P.R. -- Contingency management increased abstinence for alcohol abusers in an intensive outpatient program, Nancy Petry, Ph.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry. The researchers...

Perspective.(Community Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... Considering the staggering number of women who develop major depression during late pregnancy and/or post partum, a no-brainer public health policy would be to have a community-wide, coherent, systemic screening process firmly in place. ...

Postpartum depression: education needed.(PREVENTION IN ACTION)
August 1, 2005... He is not a doctor--nor does he play one in the movies. Yet actor Tom Cruise claims to be an expert in psychiatry--including postpartum depression. The most obvious problem with putting himself out on that limb is that the thousands of women...

Piercings and tattoos possibly linked to suicidality; Here's the question: is body modification a marker for increased risk, or a sort of substitute activity?(Community Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... BROOMFIELD, COLO. -- Body modification enthusiasts--individuals who undergo piercing, tattooing, and/or scarification--have a high rate of self-reported prior suicide attempts, David Lester, Ph.D., said at the annual conference of the American...

Child-father interaction may predict suicide reattempts.(Community Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... ATLANTA -- Adolescents whose interactions with their fathers are negative are more likely to reattempt suicide than are those whose interactions are more constructive, Barry M. Wagner, Ph.D., and his colleagues wrote in a poster presentation at...

Psych consults often unavailable for sex offenders.(Forensic Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... DENVER -- A surprising number of community-based and residential treatment programs for juvenile sex offenders don't have psychiatric consultation readily available, Joanne Smith-Darden said at the annual meeting of the National Adolescent...

Promoting self-regulation skills can help abusive teens.(Forensic Psychiatry)
August 1, 2005... DENVER -- Fostering skills in affect self-regulation and attachment among sexually abusive adolescents is a necessary foundation for effectively treating their sexual behavior problems, Kevin Creeden said at a meeting of the National Adolescent...

High anxiety rate warrants screening in MS.(Neuropsychiatric Medicine)(multiple sclerosis )
August 1, 2005... BAL HARBOUR, FLA. -- All people with multiple sclerosis should be screened for anxiety, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Neuropsychiatric Association. Researchers randomly selected 100 people with...

Ropinirole approved for restless legs syndrome.(Neuropsychiatric Medicine)
August 1, 2005... MIAMI BEACH -- The antiparkinsonism drug ropinirole is now indicated for the treatment of adults with moderate to severe restless legs syndrome. The Food and Drug Administration approved the new indication based on three randomized,...

Antidepressant better than bulking agent in IBS.(Pain Medicine)
August 1, 2005... SAN FRANCISCO -- An antidepressant often is better than a high-fiber bulking agent as first-line treatment for irritable bowel syndrome, at least for the diarrhea-predominant form of the disorder, Philip S. Schoenfeld, M.D., said at the annual...

Cautious dosing urged for intrathecal pain drug.(Pain Medicine)
August 1, 2005... PALM SPRINGS, CALIF. -- Ziconotide is a welcome addition to alternatives for relieving pain via intrathecal infusion, but many questions remain about its dosing, side effects, and potential best use, pain specialists said at the annual meeting...

Acute neuropathic pain requires treatment with corticosteroids.(Pain Medicine)
August 1, 2005... SAN DIEGO -- Neuropathic pain can be acute instead of chronic, and treatments for the two differ. Scott M. Fishman, M.D., said at a psychopharmacology congress sponsored by the Neuroscience Education Institute. "There seems to be a...

Tender point criteria for fibromyalgia called flawed.(Pain Medicine)
August 1, 2005... DESTIN, FLA. -- The tender point criteria commonly used to diagnose fibromyalgia are not useful and in fact may even explain why the disease appears to disproportionately affect women. Daniel Clauw, M.D., said at a rheumatology meeting...

Depression tied to poor adherence to cardiac Rx: results of two studies show that use of aspirin and [beta]-blockers was lower in depressed patients.(Psychosomatic Medicine)
August 1, 2005... VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Depressed patients with coronary artery disease are less likely to take prescribed medications than are those who are not depressed, Karina W. Davidson, Ph.D., and Mary Whooley, M.D., reported in separate presentations at the...

Depression onset, recurrence predict medication response after acute coronary event.(Psychosomatic Medicine)
August 1, 2005... ATLANTA -- Psychiatrists treating depression associated with an acute coronary event should look to severity of a depressive episode, recurrence of major depression, and the onset of depression prior to hospitalization as predictors of drug...

Drug approved for heart failure in black patients.(Across Specialties)
August 1, 2005... GAITHERSBURG, MD. -- The fixed-dose combination of isosorbide dinitrate and hydralazine is the first product approved specifically for treating patients in a specific racial group. The development has been lauded as a significant advance that...