Brown University Psychopharmacology Update articles from May 2008

Brown University Psychopharmacology Update archives from May 2008

Short-term tamoxifen treatment improves manic symptoms in bipolar patients.(Bipolar Disorder)(Clinical report)
May 1, 2008... Tamoxifen has been shown to reduce manic symptoms in hard-to-treat patients with bipolar I disorder. In a 3-week clinical trial, investigators at a psychiatric unit of a university medical center in Izmir, Turkey, found that tamoxifen...

SSRIs linked to nongastrointestinal bleeding in coumarin users.(Adverse Events)(Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors)
May 1, 2008... A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine concluded that SSRI use is associated with an increased risk of hospitalization due to major nongastrointestinal bleeding, but not because of gastrointestinal bleeding, in users of...

Possible tardive dyskinesia with aripiprazole and duloxetine.(Drug-Drug Interactions)(Clinical report)
May 1, 2008... Tardive dyskinesia is a common side effect associated with long-term use of typical antipsychotic agents. The risk is reported to be lower with the use of atypical antipsychotics, including the third-generation antipsychotic aripiprazole...

D-cycloserine augmentation of behavioral therapy for OCD.(What's New in Research)(Clinical report)
May 1, 2008... precis * First trial to compare antidepressant switch alone to a switch plus cognitive behavioral therapy in adolescent nonresponders to SSRI treatment for major depression * Patients randomized to 1 of 4 conditions: venlafaxine...

Novel treatment for mania.(Commentary)
May 1, 2008... Bipolar (manic-depressive) disorder affects millions of ordinary people around the world (more than 1/100), as well as many well-known and highly gifted artists, writers, musicians, and scientists. This prevalent, complex and hard-to-treat...

Metformin attenuates olanzapine-induced weight gain.(News Notes)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... In a study designed to assess the efficacy of metformin (Glucophage) in preventing olanzapine-induced weight gain in drug-naive first-episode schizophrenia patients, 40 patients were randomized to 12 weeks of treatment with olanzapine...

Antidepressant dose requirements in pregnancy.(News Notes)(Medical condition overview)
May 1, 2008... In a study examining the dose requirements and level-to-dose (L/D) ratios of antidepressant drugs in pregnant and post-partum women, the authors write that theirs is one of few published trials to examine the disposition of individual...

Switch to quetiapine reduces EPS in schizophrenia.(News Notes)(Brief article)(Clinical report)
May 1, 2008... The findings of an open-label randomized study appear to support a switch to quetiapine (Seroquel) for the management of preexisting neuroleptic-induced extrapyramidal side effects (EPS) in patients with schizophrenia. The authors write that...

Drug-induced liver disease with citalopram.(Case Report)(Case study)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Patient: Female, 56 years old Medications: Citalopram (Celexa) Comment: A 56-year-old woman presented with weakness, asthenia, weight loss and jaundice. She was taking citalopram (Celexa) 20 mg/day for three weeks. She reported no...

Approval: aripiprazole for adolescent bipolar disorder.(From the FDA)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... On Feb. 27, the FDA approved a supplemental New Drug Application for the atypical antipsychotic aripiprazole (Abilify) for the acute treatment of manic and mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder, with or without psychotic features,...

Approval: desvenlafaxine (Pristiq) for adult MDD.(From the FDA)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... On February 29, the FDA approved the serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) desvenlafaxine (Pristiq) to treat major depressive disorder in adults. Pristiq was approved as a oncedaily 50-mg dose following four 8-week randomized,...

Venlafaxine extended release (generic): Effexor XR (brand).(YOUR MEDICATION INFORMATION)(Drug overview)
May 1, 2008... CLASSIFICATION: Serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) antidepressant. COMMON USAGE: Venlafaxine extended release is indicated for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic...