Pharmacology-tips - Articles - Page 2

l-Methylfolate for Depression: Costly Mistake or Good Thinking?

August 1, 2019

Folic acid and l-methylfolate are two versions of the same vitamin. Both are popular for antidepressant augmentation, but one is a expensive prescription. We compared them side-by-side and found that one has a slight advantage.

Medication Side Effects Part II: Weight Gain, Akathisia, Hair Loss, and Orthostasis

August 1, 2019

Rajnish Mago, MD

Rajnish Mago, MD

Editor-in-Chief of Simple and Practical Mental Health and author of Side Effects of Psychiatric Medications: Prevention, Assessment, and Management Dr. Mago has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Dr. Mago reveals his top strategies for common side effects. Featuring safe-dosing of metformin, vitamins for hair loss, and special stockings for orthostasis.

Medication Side Effects: Nausea, Sweating, and Dry Mouth

July 3, 2019

Rajnish Mago, MD

Rajnish Mago, MD
Editor-in-Chief of Simple and Practical Mental Health and author of Side Effects of Psychiatric Medications: Prevention, Assessment, and Management Dr. Mago has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Does ginger ale treat nausea? Not really, but Dr. Mago has some better ideas, and this interview is packed with new and practical ways to manage common side effects of psychiatric medications.

RESEARCH UPDATE

A New Proposal for SSRI Withdrawal

July 3, 2019

Greg Sazima, MD and Chris Aiken, MD

Drs. Sazima and Aiken have disclosed that they have no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

The way we taper serotonergic antidepressants may need to be rethought, and this study suggests a new method.

SSRI withdrawal symptoms

July 3, 2019

Use this PDF tool to check if the patient is having any SSRI withdrawal symptoms at baseline.

Considerations When Prescribing Psychotropic Medications

May 1, 2018

Mark Chenven, MD

Mark Chenven, MD Private practice child and adolescent psychiatrist, San Diego, CA Dr. Chenven has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

How do you approach using psychotropic medications for children and adolescents? Most parents do not want to start medications. I empathize with them, which then makes it possible to move together toward medications when indicated.

Metformin to Control Antipsychotic-Induced Weight Gain in Children

May 1, 2018

Adam Strassberg, MD

Adam Strassberg, MD Psychiatrist in private practice in Palo Alto, CA. Contributing writer to the Carlat Report newsletters. Dr. Strassberg has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Metformin has been used off-label for weight loss in psychiatry for many years, much of it for help with adult weight gain as a side effect of atypical antipsychotics. However, most trials of metformin for weight loss were actually conducted on the child and adolescent population. This article will look at the quality of the data in our pediatric population of 3 studies, and then come up with some recommendations for your practice.

Tips for Good Medication Practice

May 1, 2018

Mark Chenven, MD

Mark Chenven, MD Private practice child and adolescent psychiatrist, San Diego, CA Dr. Chenven has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Good practice using psychotropic medications with children and adolescents requires a psychiatrist to pay attention to a number of elements.

Clozapine: A Fresh Look

March 1, 2018

For those reluctant to make clozapine their go-to antipsychotic for certain patients, this article will provide information to help you decide when it’s right to prescribe.

Abilify MyCite: Patient Care Breakthrough or Patent Extender?

March 1, 2018

You’ve probably heard about a new “digital pill” called Abilify MyCite. The product, which was FDA approved in November 2017, is the first drug in the U.S. with a digital ingestion tracking system.