Archives for January, 2010
Recognizing depression in adolescents
Posted By Kelly On Thursday, January 21st 2010 under: Book review Tags: Antidepressants, Depression
Helping Your Depressed Teenager.
A Guide for Parents and Caregivers
Gerald D. Oster, Sarah S. Montgomery
John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd, 5353 Dundas St W, 4th Floor, Etobicoke, ON M9B 6H8
1995/184 pp
Strengths
Very informative, logical presentation, useful bibliography and resource list
Weaknesses
Support groups mostly in the United States
Adolescents are not just "big children" or "little adults." They represent a separate stage in the transition from infancy to old age. The authors have written an ... Read More
Practical management in psychiatry
Posted By Kelly On Wednesday, January 20th 2010 under: Book review Tags: Psychiatric Illnesses, Psychiatric treatment
Psychological Problems in General Practice
A.C. Markus; C. Murray Parkes; P. Tomson; M.Johnston
Oxford University Press, 70 Wynford Dr, Don Mills, ON M3C IJ9
1989/406 pp
The authors believe that psychiatry in general practice is a different specialty from psychiatry in hospitals. The authors suggest that a problem-oriented model is more appropriate to family practice. The authors also believe that psychoanalysis is a frame of reference that has outlived its usefulness and have introduced ... Read More
Drug sertraline (Zoloft) therapy for controlling symptoms of premenstrual syndrome
Posted By Kelly On Tuesday, January 19th 2010 under: Zoloft (Sertraline) Tags: Antidepressant, sertraline-anti-depressant-for-pms, Treatment, Zoloft, zoloft-pms
A new study suggests that the antidepressant drug sertraline (Zoloft), from Pfizer Inc., may be effective in controlling symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
* Researchers at Scott & White Memorial Hospital in Temple, Texas, randomized 57 women diagnosed with moderate-to-severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS) to treatment with Zoloft or a placebo at 14 days prior to the expected onset of menses to collect data; participants were switched to the other therapy after ... Read More
The antidepressant drug sertraline (Zoloft) may be effective in panic disorder
Posted By Kelly On Monday, January 18th 2010 under: Zoloft (Sertraline) Tags: Antidepressant, Panic, sertraline-latest-trial, Treatment, Zoloft
A recent study concludes that the antidepressant drug Zoloft (Sertraline) appears to be effective in reducing the number of panic attacks in patients with panic disorder.
* Researchers at Detroit's Wayne State University randomized 168 patients with panic disorder to receive either sertraline or a placebo for 10 weeks to collect data.
* Found that the average number of panic attacks suffered weekly by patients treated with sertraline dropped 88%, compared to ... Read More
Vestra: Drug for the Treatment of Depression
Posted By Kelly On Sunday, January 17th 2010 under: Antidepressants Tags: Antidepressant, Depression, Drugs, Medications, Treatment
Brand Name: Vestra
Active Ingredient: reboxetine mesylate
Indication: Treatment of depression
Company Name: Pharmacia & Upjohn
Vestra: Introduction
As a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI), Vestra is the first of a new class of antidepressant drugs. This new mechanism of action appears to produce fewer side effects, such as nausea, headache, and sexual dysfunction, compared with traditional antidepressants. Vestra also possesses a faster onset of action compared to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), tricyclics, and ... Read More
Antidepressant drug Prozac therapy for bulimia nervosa
Posted By Kelly On Saturday, January 16th 2010 under: Prozac (Fluoxetine) Tags: Antidepressant, Prozac, Treatment
A recent report suggests that the antidepressant drug Prozac (fluoxetine) can be useful in the treatment of bulimia nervosa.
* Researchers at the New York State Psychiatric Institute reviewed findings from 15 controlled studies on the use of anticonvulsants, lithium, fenfluramine and antidepressants in bulimia patients to reach their conclusions; patients in the studies used vomiting to compensate for food intake, were of normal weight, were predominately female, and were young ... Read More
Depression and Weight Gain
Posted By Kelly On Friday, January 15th 2010 under: Question - Answer Tags: Antidepressants, Depakote, Depression, Effexor, Tegretol
Question. I used to take 100 mg of imipramine per day for depression. Then I was diagnosed with mixed bipolar and was switched to 750 mg Depakote and 225 mg of Effexor per day. I gained about 50 pounds during the first three months and have not been able to lose any of it. I have a lot of problem with my weight and it has been starting to make ... Read More
Mental Health Professional with Depression
Posted By Kelly On Thursday, January 14th 2010 under: Question - Answer Tags: Antidepressants, Depression, Drugs, Mental health, Wellbutrin
Question. I am a mental health professional. However, I also find myself searching for information to console me personally. I have been diagnosed with major depression. I go regularly to a psychiatrist and I am currently taking Wellbutrin SR. What is the potential for recurrence of depressive symptoms while taking a prescribed medication that has worked well for over three years? Can you give me some information about the number ... Read More
Antidepressants as a Treatment for Bipolar Disorder
Posted By Kelly On Wednesday, January 13th 2010 under: Question - Answer Tags: Antidepressants, Bipolar disorder, Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)
Question. I have read reports that antidepressants prescribed for patients in the depressed phase of cyclothymic or bipolar II illness can (a) shorten the cycles of the illness (b) possibly lead to refractory depression in the long run and (c) precipitate hypomanic episodes. Are you aware of any data on these issues? Do you know of any information on alteration of other aspects of the course of mild bipolar illness? ... Read More
Meds in the Second Trimester
Posted By Kelly On Tuesday, January 12th 2010 under: Question - Answer Tags: Anafranil, Antidepressants, Buspar, Depression, Drugs, Effexor, Norpramin, Pamelor, Paxil, Prozac, Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), Serzone, Tofranil, Zoloft
Question. My patient is in the second trimester of her pregnancy. She has panic disorder and depression. In the past, she responded well to Zoloft and Klonopin. What are the safest medications for the next few months?
Answer. The short, no-frills answer to your question is that any of the major antidepressants or anxiolytics are probably safe, now that the most vulnerable period of organ-formation (the first trimester) has passed. I ... Read More