Brown University Psychopharmacology Update articles from November 2010

Brown University Psychopharmacology Update archives from November 2010

Gradual antidepressant tapering may delay or reduce the risk of recurring depression.(Depression Treatment)(Clinical report)
November 1, 2010... Patients with major depressive, panic, or bipolar disorder who discontinue treatment with an antidepressant may benefit more from gradual tapering than rapid or abrupt discontinuation, according to a new study. In patients who abruptly...

Questions remain about link between antiepileptic drugs and suicide risk.(Antiepileptic Drugs)
November 1, 2010... Taking antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) does not appear to increase the risk of attempting or completing suicide in patients with epilepsy, according to findings from a new large-scale observational study. Although the results showed a greater...

Woohwangcheongsimwon and bupropion.(Drug-Drug Interactions)(Clinical report)
November 1, 2010... Bupropion (Wellbutrin) is an antidepressant of the aminoketone class. Its antidepressant activity is believed to be mediated primarily via inhibition of nor-epinephrine uptake, although it has also been reported to be a weak inhibitor of...

SAMe augmentation in refractory depression.(What's New in Research)(Clinical report)
November 1, 2010... Findings from a new clinical trial suggest that patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) who are non-responders to serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) may benefit from adjunctive S-adenosyl methionine (SAMe). The study found significantly...

Rate of discontinuation of psychotropic drugs.(Commentary)(Viewpoint essay)
November 1, 2010... Abrupt or rapid versus gradual treatment discontinuation of long-term antidepressant treatment was followed by much shorter latency to a depressive recurrence. (1) Similar effects on recurrence latency follow rapid discontinuation of lithium and...

Adjunctive antidepressants for negative symptoms of schizophrenia.(News Notes)(Brief article)
November 1, 2010... Adding an antidepressant to an anti-psychotic may be more effective in treating the negative symptoms of chronic schizophrenia rather than an anti-psychotic alone, according to a meta-analysis of 23 placebo-controlled clinical trials. The study...

Omega-3 for depression without comorbid anxiety.(News Notes)(Brief article)
November 1, 2010... Supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids may be beneficial for reducing depressive symptoms in patients with major depressive episode (MDE) without comorbid anxiety. In the largest-ever trial to test omega-3 efficacy in treating MDE, 423...

Olanzapine-induced pica.(Case Report)(Case study)(Brief article)
November 1, 2010... Patient: Male, 35 years old Medications: Haloperidol (Haldol), olanzapine (Zyprexa) Comment: A 35-year-old man with a 15-year history of schizophrenia presented with pica. During his most recent schizophrenic episode, he developed negative...

Stalevo safety warning.(From the FDA)(Brief article)
November 1, 2010... Medwatch reports a possible increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death with Stalevo, the combination drug carbidopa/levodopa, and entacapone. Carbidopa/levodopa is sold as Sinemet, and entacapone is available as a single...

Safety labeling changes.(From the FDA)
November 1, 2010... A list of drug safety labeling changes for August 2010 is available at www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/ SafetyInformation/ucm225299. htm. Among the listed drugs are the rivastigmine (Exelon) transdermal system, risperidone (Risperdal) tablets, oral...

Pregabalin (generic): Lyrica (brand).(YOUR MEDICATION INFORMATION)(Drug overview)
November 1, 2010... Classification: Antiepileptic, anticonvulsant. Common Usage: Pregabalin is approved for treating neuropathic pain (nerve pain) from diabetes or herpes zoster (shingles), for treating partial seizures in adults as adjunctive (add-on) treatment...