Hello. This is Dr. Scott Irwin, Chief of Psychiatry and Psychosocial Services at San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine. Today I’d like to talk to you about what I call an “agitation code.” Agitation is highly distressing for patients, families, and staff members. We want to get it under control […]
Category Archives: Meds
Meds
The number of children and teens taking antipsychotic medications has skyrocketed in recent years, with psychiatrists prescribing the drugs in nearly one-in-three visits with youth, a new study found. The drugs are not only being prescribed for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, but also for the commonly diagnosed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Many mental health experts say […]
August 1, 2012 – Feeling tired and lethargic. Having tense emotions. These are just a few factors that may affect a worker’s decision to take sick leave. Working with Australian and British researchers, investigators at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health found that anxiety and depression can heighten the risk of sick leave. According to the researchers, […]
August 15, 2011 – What does extreme heat do to medications? I found out while we were sweating out the recent heat wave in a lake cabin in New Hampshire and my 10-year-old son’s allergieskicked up. I gave him a dose of over-the-counter medicine that usually brings quick relief. But this time the drug […]
Many of the study participants are genetically prone to the disease Researchers are preparing to test an experimental drug in people genetically primed to develop Alzheimer’s disease. The best-scenario hope is that the drug will lead to a way of preventing the progressive brain-wasting disease, and to a better understanding of its […]
Treating obstructive sleep apnea in patients who have daytime sleepiness as a symptom may have an additional benefit — a reduction in the risk of hypertension. A pair of studies published in the May 23/30 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association point to a possible link between a reduction in hypertension […]
Shirley Wang on Lunch Break discusses the impact of depression on aging and why people with a history of depression are also known to be at greater risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other aging-related diseases. People with long-term psychological stress, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder tend to develop earlier and more serious forms […]
Published: March 28, 2012 The FDA has reworded warnings about potentially fatal arrhythmias associated with the antidepressant drug citalopram (Celexa), acknowledging that some patients may need the drug despite the risks. Last August, the agency ordered numerous changes to the drug’s label, including one stating that citalopram is contraindicated in patients with congenital long QT […]
Maternal use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors during late pregnancy raised risk for neonatal pulmonary hypertension, but individual risk-benefit profiles should be evaluated. Depression during pregnancy is common, and women with this condition are often treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Fetal risks associated with SSRI exposure have not been elucidated completely, and studies […]
By Lindsay Maxfield According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in four adults in America experience a mental health disorder in a given year. That’s nearly 60 million people suffering from illnesses like depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety and panic disorders, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder and others. But while the numbers make mental illnesses […]
