Antipsychotics - Articles - Page 15

Topics in the Treatment of Schizophrenia

December 1, 2009

TCPR-December-2009-Tx-Schizophrenia_DostOngurMD_headshot.png

Dost Ongur, MD. Clinical Director, Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder Program, McLean Hospital
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry , Harvard Medical School
Dr. Ongur has disclosed that he has received free study medication (Riluzole) from Sanofi Aventis for a study on bipolar depres-
sion. Dr. Carlat has found that there is no evidence of commercial bias in this educational activity.

Dr. Ongur, over the past few decades, the dominant theory of schizophrenia has been the dopamine hypothesis, but that has been changing lately. Can give us a quick review of the original hypothesis and then go on to some of the alternative neurochemical theories?

Abilify for Depression and Bipolar Disorder: A Meta-Analysis

November 1, 2009

Section editor, Glen Spielmans, PhD

Abilify (aripiprazole), which has long been FDA-approved for both schizophrenia and manic episodes of bipolar disorder, was recently approved for augmentation of antidepressants in patients with treatment-resistant depression.

Antipsychotics: Small Benefits for Depression

November 1, 2009

Section editor, Glen Spielmans, PhD

Anecdotally, adding an atypical antipsychotic to an antidepressant is a common practice for achieving a response in patients who have failed several medication trials. Do the data support this use of atypical antipsychotics?

Discontinuing Antipsychotics May Decrease Mortality Risk in Dementia

May 1, 2009

Section editor, Glen Spielmans, PhD

In a 2005 public health advisory, the FDA warned that antipsychotics appear to increase the rate of mortality in elderly patients with dementia. The implication is that we should discontinue such agents in this population when possible. But does this actually decrease the mortality risk?

Small Efficacy Differences Between Atypicals in Treating Schizophrenia

April 1, 2009

Section editor, Glen Spielmans, PhD

A recent meta-analysis examined all blinded clinical trials that directly compared second-generation antipsychotics, including 76 trials with 13,558 participants.

Prescribing Atypical Antipsychotics: What are the Risks?

March 1, 2009

Michael Posternak, MD

Over the past several years, the use of antipsychotics has expanded dramatically. Aside from the traditional indication, schizophrenia, various members of this class have received FDA approval for bipolar mania, bipolar depression, major depression, and autism, and increasingly they are used off-label for anxiety, insomnia, and agitation.

Atypicals Roughly Equivalent to Molindone for Youth Psychosis

November 1, 2008

Section editor, Glen Spielmans, PhD

A recent NIMH-sponsored eight week trial compared two atypical antipsychotics, olanzapine (Zyprexa) and risperidone (Risperdal), to the first-generation antipsychotic, molindone (Moban) in the treatment of 116 youths with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.

Vanda’s antipsychotic candidate iloperidone rejected by FDA

September 1, 2008

Section editor, Glen Spielmans, PhD

The FDA issued a Not Approvable letter regarding Vanda Pharmaceutical’s antipsychotic medication iloperidone (Fanapta). The agency based its decision on iloperidone’s question able efficacy results versus risperidone.

Introducing...Fanapta!

June 1, 2008

Daniel Carlat, MD

You’ve probably heard about Fanapta (iloperidone), a new antipsychotic marketed by Vanda Pharmaceuticals. No, it hasn’t been approved officially yet, but it is likely to win approval in July, and the company has already been taking out teaser ads in the journals and has even sponsored a touring promotional CME program run by Stephen Stahl.