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Antipsychotics
Have you heard the one about the 90-year-old patient who tells the doctor his right knee hurts? The doctor says, “You’re 90. What do you expect? You’re going to have joint pain.” The patient replies, “Well, doctor, that’s an interesting concept, but you know my left knee is the exact…
Dry eye disease is irritating and painful. As an optometrist, I know there are many possible causes, but the medicines you take might be the culprit. Drugs are a common part of American life, 36% of people between the ages of 18-44 take between one and four medicines daily and…
Abilify and Abilify MyCite are prescribed for bi-polar, depression, ADHD, autism, schizophrenia and more. For some it’s a life saver, but for others Abilify’s side effects can include diabetes, suicidal thoughts, sexual dysfunction and more. Read this 2-part series on the pros and cons of Abilify.
The Link Between Dementia, Alzheimer’s and Common Meds If you are 60+, stop taking these drugs now The evidence is piling up that many common meds can increase or possibly cause dementia and Alzheimer’s (a type of dementia) in those who are 60+. Generally, these are OTC drugs used for…
Every year, millions of people that are hospitalized experience delirium, and yet the drugs most commonly given to them aren’t effective in controlling it. Researchers looked at 566 seriously ill patients who were either on mechanical ventilation or in shock and became delirious. The patients then received either Haldol (haloperidol),…
Women prescribed certain antipsychotics during pregnancy may have an increased risk of developing gestational diabetes, according to a study published in The American Journal of Psychiatry. Researchers looked at 1,543,334 nondiabetic pregnant women who were enrolled in Medicaid between 2000 and 2010. These women received at least one antipsychotic medication…
A new study published in the British Medical Journal has found that several common medications, such as anticholinergic drugs, heighten the risk of dementia by an alarming 30%. Researchers collected data from the UK’s Clinical Practice Research Database where they identified 40,770 patients, aged 65 to 99, who were diagnosed…
Kids with autism taking antipsychotics are more likely to experience side effects, according to a study from Swansea University. Researchers examined 3,028 children from birth up to 18 years old from the UK’s National Health Service who had been prescribed an antipsychotic. Analysts discovered that 2.8% of children with an…
A common side effect of antipsychotic medications is that they can cause users to gain weight. Now researchers believe they have found a way to counteract that weight gain. Scientists from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center discovered that serotonin 2C receptors interacting with antipsychotics for schizophrenia and depression…
Abuse-deterrent formulations (ADFs) of opioids do not reduce the overall abuse of the painkillers according to a report from the Institute of Clinical and Economic Review (ICER). New research suggests that ADFs can possibly lead opioid abusers to switch to other harmful drugs, including heroin and fentanyl. Dan Ollendorf, PhD,…
Use of antipsychotic drugs in nursing home can be cut significantly by training staff to recognize certain behavior by elderly patients as a sign of unmet needs. Researchers in Massachusetts examined how a communication training program known as “Oasis” designed for nursing home staff impacted off-label antipsychotic use. Off-label prescribing…
Child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Candida Fink discusses the issues surrounding the use of antipsychotics in children and what you should know. While antipsychotic drugs are most associated with treating conditions such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, they are often prescribed to adolescents and young children as well. Oftentimes, antipsychotic…
The antipsychotic Zyprexa (olanzapine) can cause a rare but serious skin reactionthat can progress to other parts of the body, according to a drug safety communication from the FDA. The agency is adding a new warning to the labeling for all olanzapine-containing products that describes this severe condition known as…
A new study shows antipsychotic drugs hasten death for dementia patients. In the JAMA Psychiatry journal, researchers report findings from nearly 91,000 American veterans over the age of 65 with dementia. Those taking drugs called antipsychotics had outsize risks of death. Among those taking the newer, more commonly used antipsychotics,…
Anti-anxiety and bi-polar meds can be hard to handle, but also can be an important part of living healthfully. Here is how Elaina manages.
