February 2012
Agomelatine
Because agomelatine shows only modest benefits in the treatment of depression and requires liver function monitoring, there seems little reason to select it over other agents.
SSRIs Reduce the Risk of MI
Long-term use of selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) seems to decrease the risk of myocardial infarction in patients with depression.
Antidepressant Risks in Older Patients
Elderly patients who take antidepressants have a greater risk of adverse events, such as falls, confusion, and agitation, than those who do not take antidepressants.
In Brief
Younger Age at Onset of Cannabis Use Associated with Early Symptoms of Psychosis; Medical Comorbidity High in Patients with Bipolar Disorder
Varenicline and Suicide Risk
The use of varenicline (Chantix) for smoking cessation appears to present a substantial and statistically significant increase in risk of depression and suicidal or self-injurious behavior.
ADHD Drugs: Safe for Young Hearts?
A retrospective cohort study found no increased risk for serious cardiovascular events associated with medication treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.
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Originating at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Biological Therapies in Psychiatry has been a trusted resource for physicians for over 30 years. Described as "influential" by the Atlantic Monthly, this concise, four-page, monthly newsletter provides up-to-date information about the rapidly expanding field of psychotropic medications and other biological treatments for mental disorders.
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Dr. Gelenberg is Professor and Interim Chair of Psychiatry at Penn State, Hershey. Since 1987, Dr. Gelenberg has been Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, and he recently chaired the workgroup that revised the American Psychiatric Association's major depressive disorder guidelines. Dr. Gelenberg has been on the faculty of Harvard Medical School, MIT, and the University of Arizona and has written numerous scientific articles and book chapters on mood disorders, depression, and schizophrenia. He is listed in the Best Doctors in America and America's Top Doctors and received the 1997 Exemplary Psychiatrist Award of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.
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