Chris Aiken, MD

Harnessing Beneficial Drug Interactions

November 1, 2018

Rehan Aziz, MD Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine. Dr. Aziz has disclosed that they have no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity. Chris Aiken, MD Editor-in-Chief, The Carlat Psychiatry Report. Dr. Aiken has disclosed that they have no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

It’s nice when we can get our patients better with a single medication, but that’s not always possible. Sometimes the right combination of meds can do the trick, but studies of polypharmacy are scarce. In this article we dig through that research, small and limited as it is, to highlight a few useful combinations where the drug interaction can benefit your patient.

Ask the Editor: Which Antipsychotic Is Best When Patients Complain of Akathisia?

November 1, 2018

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.

Akathisia is a sensation of inner restlessness so unpleasant that it independently elevates the risk of suicide. Among atypicals, quetiapine (Seroquel) has the lowest risk of akathisia, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to take.

Probiotics for Bipolar Disorder

November 1, 2018

Adam Strassberg, MD and Chris Aiken, MD

Adam Strassberg, MD Chris Aiken, MD Drs. Strassberg and Aiken have disclosed that they have no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Probiotics, the so-called “good” bacteria in the gut flora, have become popular as a natural treatment for various disorders. They are taken as capsules or through food sources like yogurt, vinegar, and fermented foods.

New Approvals for TMS

November 1, 2018

Talia Puzantian, PharmD, BCPP and Chris Aiken, MD

Talia Puzantian, PharmD, BCPP Chris Aiken, MD Drs. Puzantian and Aiken have disclosed that they have no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

We know that transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) works for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), but one disadvantage is the length of the treatment sessions.

Benzodiazepines: New Risks for an Old Drug

September 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.

In the May 2018 issue of TCPR, we wrote about using benzodiazepines for anxiety and other disorders, and we got some reader feedback that we did not provide a thorough enough review of medication risks. So, in a follow-up article this month, I will focus on two groups where benzos pose the greatest risks: opioid users and the elderly.

Ask the Editor

September 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.

Dear Dr. Aiken: Can you tell us more about hyponatremia? Which medications can cause hyponatremia, who’s at risk, and how we should manage this condition?

Treatment-Resistant Depression: Some Introductory Tips

July 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.

Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) has a fairly low barrier of entry. Failure of 2 full antidepressant trials—lasting 6 weeks at a minimally effective dose—is enough to qualify. In this month’s issue of TCPR, we’ll highlight pharmacologic advances that are underutilized and debunk a few that are unlikely to be effective for TRD.

Antidepressant Augmentation Strategies: A Basic Guide

July 1, 2018

Chris Aiken, MD

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

Here’s a common scenario. You have a patient who has tried three or four antidepressants over the years; all have been somewhat effective at least initially, but eventually that effectiveness waned.

Seven Lifestyle Interventions for Treatment-Resistant Depression

July 1, 2018

Chris Aiken, MD

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

Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is not untreatable. The challenge is to keep hope alive and the patient engaged in recovery. “You deserve, and can expect, a full recovery,” I’ll often tell patients, “but we’re going to need more than medications to get you there.” I’ll then offer a choice: to either start weekly psychotherapy or make a lifestyle change—or both.

The Bipolar Spectrum: Practical Tips for Diagnosis and Treatment

January 1, 2018

Chris Aiken, MD

Chris Aiken, MD Director of the Mood Treatment Center and instructor at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Co-author, with Jim Phelps, of Bipolar, Not So Much (W. W. Norton & Company). Dr. Aiken has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

In this article, Dr. Aiken draws on his vast clinical experience to help us recognize the different types of patients who might present some degree of bipolarity, then provides tips on evidence-based treatments.