Chris Aiken, MD

Meet the First H3 Antagonist

November 15, 2019

Chris Aiken, MD. Editor-in-Chief of The Carlat Psychiatry Report. Practicing psychiatrist, Winston-Salem, NC.

Pitolisant (Wakix) is now FDA-approved for narcolepsy and is the first histamine H3 agonist released. Though used for a neurologic condition, its novel mechanism has potential psychiatric effects that are worth monitoring.

FDA Approves a Hormonal Injection for Low Libido in Women

October 3, 2019

Chris Aiken, MD

Vyleesi is FDA approved for low libido in women, but its modest benefits and significant risks give us pause.

Is Paxil the Best SSRI for Anxiety?

August 30, 2019

Chris Aiken, MD

Chris Aiken, MD Dr. Aiken has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Paxil built its reputation as the best SSRI for anxiety, but the data suggests the opposite.

Editor's Choice: An Antidepressant Diet Expert Q&A

July 11, 2019

Chris Aiken, MD

I was a reader of The Carlat Psychiatry Report before I was an editor, and there were two things that led me to subscribe to it:1) They cover topics that get missed in the psychiatric press, like practical tips and treatments that aren't backed by a promotional budget.2) They give...

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.

An Opioid Combo Falls Short in Depression

February 1, 2019

Chris Aiken, MD

Chris Aiken, MD.
Editor-in-Chief of The Carlat Psychiatry Report. Practicing psychiatrist, Winston-Salem, NC. Dr. Aiken has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Opioids have a bad name these days. But let’s not forget that they were once considered a first-line treatment for depression before the discovery of MAOIs and tricyclics in the 1950s. That history has been revived recently by buprenorphine, a partial opioid agonist that was fast-tracked by the FDA for treatment-resistant depression.

Prescription CBD Is Available, But Are We Ready to Use It?

January 1, 2019

Chris Aiken, MD

Chris Aiken, MD Editor-in-Chief of The Carlat Psychiatry Report. Practicing psychiatrist, Winston-Salem, NC. Dr. Aiken has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Your patient comes in with a new medication on his list: CBD oil. He started taking it for anxiety and wants to know if it’s safe. You hedge, explaining that there is limited information available on unregulated products, but the patient is persistent. He says CBD oil is available as a prescription, and wonders if you could write one for it.

Wellbutrin Augmentation: When Does It Work?

January 1, 2019

Chris Aiken, MD

Chris Aiken, MD Editor-in-Chief of The Carlat Psychiatry Report. Practicing psychiatrist, Winston-Salem, NC. Dr. Aiken has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Dear Dr. Aiken: In the July/August 2018 issue, you wrote that bupropion (Wellbutrin) augmentation does not work in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). So why do we see it work so often in practice?

Brexanolone: A New Treatment for Postpartum Depression

January 1, 2019

Chris Aiken, MD

Chris Aiken, MD Editor-in-Chief of The Carlat Psychiatry Report. Practicing psychiatrist, Winston-Salem, NC. Dr. Aiken has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

There is a need for rapid treatment in postpartum depression, as each month of this potentially severe condition can take a toll on infant development. That is why brexanolone (Zulresso), which was recently fast-tracked for approval by the FDA, is causing such a splash.

New Stimulants: From Remixed Amphetamines to Bedtime Ritalin

November 1, 2018

Chris Aiken, MD

Chris Aiken, MD Editor-in-Chief of The Carlat Psychiatry Report. Practicing psychiatrist, Winston-Salem, NC. Dr. Aiken has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

You may have noticed that a confusing array of new stimulants has been approved in the last few years. Since 2012, there have been five new amphetamines and two new methylphenidates. What are these preparations? Are any of them worth prescribing to your patients?