May 2013
Iloperidone Increases QTc
Coadministration of drugs that inhibit cytochrome P450 2D6 or 3A4 increases the potential for iloperidone (Fanapt) to prolong the QTc interval.
Diabetes and Dyslipidemia: Risks for Adolescents with Mental Illness
A retrospective cohort study found that adolescents with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder had higher rates of both diabetes and dyslipidemia.
Memantine for FTD: A Negative Study
In a double-blind, parallel-group study, memantine (Namenda) produced no benefit greater than placebo for patients with frontotemporal dementia but more frequent cognitive adverse events.
Inappropriate Sexual Behavior in FTD: A Case Report
Aripiprazole (Abilify) reduced inappropriate sexual behavior in an elderly man with frontotemporal dementia.
In Brief
Age and Dose Play a Role in the Effects of Antidepressants on Fracture Risk; Weight Management Intervention Program Beneficial for Patients with Schizophrenia
Hypertension following SSRI Withdrawal
A woman with depression experienced hypertension when citalopram (Celexa and others) was abruptly discontinued.
A Message from Alan J. Gelenberg, M.D.
When I first started writing BTP in the 1970s, it was to bridge the gap between new knowledge in our field and its application to patient care. Over the decades since, the need for this bridge has become even greater. Neuroscience rockets forward. Psychiatrists and other clinicians have a broader array of treatments for patients with mental disorders than we even dreamed of back then. But we have less time to spend with patients and less time to keep up with developments that affect treatment decisions. Our medications, and those prescribed by colleagues in other specialties, are more varied, complex, and prone to interactions. What were formerly crisp boundaries between major psychopharmacologic categories are now murky.
This makes the modern practice of psychiatry challenging—but also fun and promising. With the expanding armamentarium of treatment options comes enhanced ability to alleviate suffering. The mission of BTP remains constant, even while the field grows. We are still here to bridge the gap, to make science applicable and relevant, and to help you in your day-to-day work relieve distress and improve function in patients' lives.