benzodiazepines | CARLAT PUBLISHING

Psychopharm Commandment #6: MAOIs

March 20, 2023

Chris Aiken, MD and Kellie Newsome, PMHNP

MAOIs rank high in efficacy and are pretty well tolerated too, as long as you watch for two critical interactions.

EXPERT Q&A

Managing Alcohol Withdrawal in the Emergency Department

January 30, 2023

Brian Fuehrlein, MD, PhD

Brian Fuehrlein, MD, PhD.

Addiction psychiatrist. Associate professor of psychiatry, Yale University. Director of the psychiatric emergency department at VA Connecticut. West Haven, CT.

Dr. Fuehrlein has no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

Alcohol withdrawal is among the most commonly encountered scenarios managed by psychiatrists in the ED. Here, Dr. Fuehrlein discusses the natural history of alcohol withdrawal, how best to assess withdrawal risk, and choose between treatment options.

Psychopharm Commandment 5: Benzos Opioids

November 7, 2022

Chris Aiken, MD and Kellie Newsome, PMHNP

Benzos are never safe with opioids, but we clarify when the risk is lower and when the combo is best avoided.

10 Psychopharm Commandments: Med Withdrawal

September 26, 2022

Chris Aiken, MD and Kellie Newsome, PMHNP

When to stop meds quickly, and when to do it slowly, in #2 of our 10 Commandment series.

The Benzodiazepine-Stimulant Combo: What Could Go Wrong?

September 25, 2022

Chris Aiken, MD

Chris Aiken, MD. Editor-in-Chief, The Carlat Psychiatry Report. Practicing psychiatrist, Winston-Salem, NC. Dr. Aiken, author of this educational activity, has no relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Neurotoxicity, substance use disorders, even traffic accidents can arise from this controversial combination. We look at how to handle it in practice, including how to reduce the use and when the combination might be OK to continue.

Benzodiazepines: A Reevaluation of Their Benefits and Dangers

August 23, 2022

Carl Salzman MD

Carl Salzman, MD

Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and past chairman of the American Psychiatric Association Benzodiazepine Task Force. Interview by Marcia L. Zuckerman, MD. Board member of The Carlat Psychiatry Report; outpatient psychiatrist, Hallmark Health, Medford, MA; clinical assistant professor in psychiatry, Tufts School of Medicine. Edited by Chris Aiken, MD. Editor-in-Chief of TCPR; practicing psychiatrist, Winston-Salem, NC.

Drs. Salzman, Zuckerman, and Aiken have disclosed no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Former Chairman of the American Psychiatric Association Benzodiazepine Task Force Carl Salzman explains the legitimate medical use of benzodiazepines and their relevance in psychiatric practice.

What Works for Treatment Resistant Anxiety?

August 22, 2022

Chris Aiken, MD and Kellie Newsome, PMHNP

Silexan, an extract from Lavender with pharmaceutical properties, is one of only two treatments with a large effect size in generalized anxiety disorder. We rank all the treatments by strength and look to see if any of them can work when the SSRIs do not.

Rethinking Topiramate

August 1, 2022

Chris Aiken, MD and Kellie Newsome, PMHNP

Topiramate can cause psychosis, or treat psychosis; worsen cognition, or improve it; cause depression or… You get the point. A look at the paradoxical world of psychopharmacology.

EXPERT Q&A

Benzodiazepines in Older Adults

April 1, 2022

Chris Aiken, MD

Chris Aiken, MD

Editor-in-Chief, The Carlat Psychiatry Report. Dr. Aiken specializes in mood disorders and works with older adults in private practice. Dr. Aiken has disclosed no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

The best evidence for benzodiazepines in the elderly is in panic disorder, followed by phobias, social anxiety disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. Benzodiazepines are also the mainstay of treating catatonia, rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, and alcohol withdrawal

Assessing and Treating Catatonia

March 23, 2022

Stephan Heckers, MD

Stephan Heckers, MD William P. and Henry B. Test Professor Chair, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Psychiatrist-in-Chief, Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital. Nashville, TN. Dr. Heckers has disclosed no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Patients experiencing catatonia often improve quickly with benzodiazepines, but how can we help patients who fail to respond? Dr. Heckers summarizes the management of catatonia, including refractory cases, and tells us of other illnesses to consider in our differential diagnoses.