Clinical Psychiatry News back issues from March 2008:
Try CBT first for anxiety in children.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
Mar 01, 2008; ... NEW YORK -- When treating first-time, uncomplicated cases of anxiety in children and adolescents, it's usually best to start with a 6- to 12-week trial of psychosocial treatment, Dr. Moira Rynn said at a psychopharmacology update sponsored by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent ...
Who should pay for Americans' health insurance?(VITAL SIGNS)
Mar 01, 2008 ... <Pre> Who Should Pay for Americans' Health Insurance? Individuals, employers, and government should share costs 66% Mostly government 15% Mostly employers8% Mostly individuals ...
Psychosocial care set as standard in cancer treatment: IOM's report reflects 'attitudinal shift.'.(News)
Mar 01, 2008; ... WASHINGTON -- An Institute of Medicine report says providing appropriate psychosocial services to all cancer patients and their families should become a new standard of care, Dr. Jimmie C. Holland said at the annual Community Oncology conference. The report, called "Cancer Care ...
For veterans, depression is deadlier than PTSD.(Adult Psychiatry)
Mar 01, 2008; ... Current depressive symptoms in veterans with a prior history of depression might be more of a concern as a risk factor for all-cause mortality than would a history of posttraumatic stress disorder, according to a study of more than 35,000 veterans. "The data presented here ...
SSRIs tied to upper GI bleeding.(News)
Mar 01, 2008; ... A new analysis of data from observational studies and case reports has confirmed that the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors is associated with an increased risk of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage, particularly in patients also taking NSAIDs. Previous studies have ...
Advisory on varenicline warns of depression.(NEWS FROM THE FDA)
Mar 01, 2008; ... The Food and Drug Administration is evaluating postmarketing adverse event reports of serious neuropsychiatric symptoms--including agitation, depressed mood, and suicidal ideation and behavior--in people taking the smoking-cessation drug varenicline, the agency has announced. ...
Carbamazepine label gets warning for Asian patients.(NEWS FROM THE FDA)
Mar 01, 2008; ... Patients of Asian ancestry are at significantly increased risk for fatal skin reactions when treated with carbamazepine and should first undergo genetic testing to assess their risk before initiating therapy, according to an alert issued by the Food and Drug Administration. ...
Suicidality alert on antiepileptic labels likely to be broadened.(NEWS FROM THE FDA)
Mar 01, 2008; ... WASHINGTON -- Findings of an increased suicidality risk in patients given antiepileptics likely will lead to broad class labeling changes, the Food and Drug Administration said in an alert issued to health care professionals. The agency, which issued the alert on Jan. 31, plans ...
PTSD common in soldiers with mild brain injury.(News)
Mar 01, 2008; ... Mild traumatic brain injury occurring among soldiers deployed in Iraq is strongly associated with posttraumatic stress disorder and physical health problems 3-4 months after the soldiers return home, according to survey findings. Results from a survey of more than 2,000 soldiers ...
FDA deems olanzapine depot 'not approvable'.(News)
Mar 01, 2008; ... The Food and Drug Administration has issued a "not approvable" letter for a depot formulation of olanzapine. The agency said in a letter that it is seeking to better understand the risk and underlying cause of excessive sedation events that have been observed in about 1% of ...
Suicide rates among young men in U.K. show decline.(News)
Mar 01, 2008; ... An observational study on suicide trends among young people in the United Kingdom suggests that suicide rates among young men in England and Wales have dropped markedly over the past decade. In the study, published by BMJ, Lucy Biddle, research fellow and her associates at the ...
U.S. advice implicated in obesity trends.(News)
Mar 01, 2008; ... By stressing the importance of a carbohydrate-based, low-fat diet, current U.S. dietary guidelines may have unexpectedly contributed to the current obesity epidemic, investigators reported. In accordance with national recommendations, Americans have slightly reduced their fat ...
Worldwide survey finds adult obesity rate of around 25%.(News)
Mar 01, 2008; ... The rest of the world seems to be catching up with the United States in the prevalence of heftiness and obesity, according to a survey of primary care patients in 63 countries. Analysis of data from the survey, which excluded the United States, also found that waist ...
Detecting deception on the part of patients.(Guest editorial)
Mar 01, 2008; ... The tragic death of actor Heath Ledger from an apparent overdose of drugs known to be dangerous in combination raises the question of how he obtained them. Details are still unfolding, and there is much that we might never know. We must be careful about speculating on the role ...
Data on ecstasy problematic.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
Mar 01, 2008 ... We would like to add perspective to your coverage of data presented by Thelma Schilt from the Netherlands XTC Toxicity Study about the use of ecstasy and cognition ("Minimal Ecstasy Use Linked to Cognitive Deficits," January 2008, p. 27). The controversy over whether ecstasy use ...
Portrayals of affect in film.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
Mar 01, 2008 ... I enjoyed Dr. Roland Atkinson's review of film portrayals of mania ("In the Mood for Mania," Reel Life, January 2008, p. 54). One example that he did not mention is Jessica Lange's portrayal of Carly Marshall in "Blue Sky." Ms. Lange won the best actress Oscar for that role. ...
Yoga and mental health.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
Mar 01, 2008 ... As a psychiatrist in private practice and a dedicated student of yoga, I was so glad to see Dr. Robert T. London's column on the usefulness of this beautiful practice ("Yoga: A Beneficial Integrative Therapy," The Psychiatrist's Toolbox, December 2007, p. 20). The healing ...
Autism is not an epidemic.(GUEST EDITORIAL)
Mar 01, 2008; ... Clinicians who treat children with pervasive developmental disorders are likely to be asked by parents to explain the rising prevalence of autism and the possible environmental causes. Let me offer a brief background and a few facts that may help to address these questions and show that ...
Is power the ultimate addiction?(Guest editorial)
Mar 01, 2008; ... As I look at the global political landscape, I am struck by a pervasive theme. High-ranking officials and politicians often resist giving up power--and are willing to do practically anything to hold on to it. Of course, this is far from a new phenomenon. But as our ...
Drug's efficacy for treating depression 'exciting'.(Adult Psychiatry)
Mar 01, 2008; ... VIENNA -- Mecamylamine, an old, rarely prescribed, truly obscure antihypertensive agent, may be favorably reincarnated as an antidepressant with a completely novel mechanism of action--and vastly greater potential use. The drug displayed favorable safety and efficacy as ...
Obesity linked to postpartum depression risk.(Adult Psychiatry)
Mar 01, 2008; ... DALLAS -- Obese women may be at increased risk for postpartum depression, new research suggests. In a prospective analysis of 1,282 women who gave birth to singleton infants at term, nearly 30% of women with a prepregnancy body mass index of 30 or more screened positive for ...
Support reduces depression risk in new mothers.(Adult Psychiatry)
Mar 01, 2008; ... MONTREAL -- Mother-to-mother support can significantly reduce the development of postpartum depression in women who are at high risk for the condition, Cindy-Lee Dennis, Ph.D., said at the annual conference of the Canadian Psychiatric Association. "Meta-analyses and predictive ...
TCA/SSRI treatment can lead to diabetes.(Adult Psychiatry)
Mar 01, 2008; ... Patients with depression who take tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors concurrently have almost twice the risk of developing type 2 diabetes as those taking tricyclic medications alone, Lauren C. Brown and her associates reported. "If our ...
Men with military sexual trauma often resist disclosure.(Adult Psychiatry)
Mar 01, 2008; ... BALTIMORE -- Male veterans who have a history of military sexual trauma often fail to disclose their condition until well into treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder and have many motivations for covering up their problem, according to speakers at the annual meeting of the ...
Getting the NAC of a novel schizophrenia Tx.(Adult Psychiatry)
Mar 01, 2008; ... VIENNA -- N-acetylcysteine, an inexpensive supplement widely available over the counter in health food stores, proved safe and effective as adjunctive therapy for chronic schizophrenia in a 6-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, Dr. Michael Berk said at the annual congress of the ...
Type 1 diabetes patients face lower schizophrenia risk.(Adult Psychiatry)
Mar 01, 2008; ... Patients with type 1 diabetes are at a significantly reduced risk of developing schizophrenia and related disorders, suggesting a need to study the genetic traits and environmental triggers that can lead to either condition, Finnish investigators have reported. The incidence of ...
Motivation as important as education in type 2 diabetes.(Adult Psychiatry)
Mar 01, 2008; ... ST. LOUIS -- Teaching type 2 diabetes patients about how to take care of themselves isn't enough; they need to be motivated to follow through, according to results of a survey of 3,867 patients. Yet discussions with patients remain primarily educational rather than motivational ....
Take active approach against weight gain.(PRACTICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY)
Mar 01, 2008; ... Weight gain is a serious concern in psychopharmacology--potentially toxic to patients' psychological and physical well-being and a barrier to effective treatment. "This is a huge issue in my practice," said Dr. Adele Tutter of the department of psychiatry at Cornell University ...
Many overweight blacks, Hispanics underestimate risks.(Adult Psychiatry)
Mar 01, 2008; ... HONOLULU -- Many overweight black and Hispanic adults' estimates of their own obesity-related health problems are more optimistic than are practice-based statistical findings, according to research that was presented at the annual meeting of the National Medical Association. ...
Three groups more likely to self-medicate.(Adult Psychiatry)(Survey)
Mar 01, 2008; ... NEW ORLEANS -- Men, singles, and those aged 30 years and younger are more likely than other groups in the general population to use psychoactive substances to cope with psychiatric symptoms, a large population-based study conducted in France suggests. Men in the study were ...
Vitamin D deficiency.(EVIDENCE-BASED PSYCHIATRIC MEDICINE)
Mar 01, 2008; ... The Problem You are working in a correctional setting and start a new assignment in administrative segregation (jail within a prison). Many inmate-patients serve months to years in this setting and receive 1 hour of yard time per day. Many simply hole up and never go outside ....
Panic disorder patients need us.(THE PSYCHIATRIST'S TOOLBOX)
Mar 01, 2008; ... After feeling chest tightness, shortness of breath, and dizziness, the patient got herself to an emergency department. While waiting to be seen, she experienced profuse sweating that was accompanied by shaking, tingling, and a sense of impending doom. Could this be a heart attack? Is she ...
The art of Randee Savage.(VISIONARY ART)
Mar 01, 2008; ... Randee Savage's guitar and art are both vitally important to her. But when pressed, Ms. Savage says she prefers painting because it is more in her control. "The colors and the paints are right there," she says. She started painting and taking photos as a child with her Brownie ...
A Florida woman was charged recently with child neglect after leaving her four teenage sons to fend for themselves. How can psychiatry support such families?(FINK! STILL AT LARGE)
Mar 01, 2008; ... Mothers all over America are asking courts and child protective agencies to take custody of their children because they believe the kids are out of control and are going to get into trouble. These are mostly single parents, and many mothers are teenagers who have no money and no life and ...
Social anxiety disorder strongly associated with risk of depression.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)(Clinical report)
Mar 01, 2008; ... VIENNA -- Social anxiety disorder, regardless of age of onset, is consistently associated with strongly increased risk for subsequent depression, according to 10-year results of the large prospective Early Developmental Stages of Psychopathology Study. This conclusion is an ...
Smokers of cigarettes and marijuana fare worse.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
Mar 01, 2008; ... Among teenagers and young adults who smoke marijuana, the minority who are not cigarette smokers have fewer problems personally, socially, and academically than do the majority who also smoke cigarettes, according to Swiss investigators. The researchers analyzed data from a ...
Networking sites more benign than thought.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)(Survey)
Mar 01, 2008; ... Use of social networking Web sites poses no greater risk of sexual solicitation and harassment of children than do other online behaviors, according to the results of an e-mail survey of 1,588 preteens and teens. "Our findings suggest that online interpersonal victimizations do ...
Use of CNS medication may reduce cognition.(Geriatric Psychiatry)
Mar 01, 2008; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- Community-dwelling elderly people were more likely to show cognitive decline over a 5-year period if they took medications that act on the central nervous system, especially with higher cumulative doses or with longer use, Dr. Rollin M. Wright and her colleagues reported. ...
Initiative could transform Alzheimer's research.(Geriatric Psychiatry)
Mar 01, 2008; ... A $60 million, 6-year study is being launched to find and validate biologic and imaging markers that could be used as objective measures of therapeutic response in Alzheimer's disease. The results of the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) could dramatically ...
More data needed on physicians in recovery.(Addiction Psychiatry)
Mar 01, 2008; ... CORONADO, CALIF. -- Of 104 physicians in New York state who were admitted to substance abuse treatment programs between 2003 and 2004 and were monitored for a mean of 41 months by the state's Committee for Physicians' Health, only 9 (9%) were discharged because of noncompliance with ...
Communication difficulties cited by users of ketamine.(Addiction Psychiatry)(Survey)
Mar 01, 2008 ... CORONADO, CALIF. -- The top three perceived benefits of ketamine use are decreased stress levels, dissociation from daily life, and connectedness with other people, results from a Canadian survey suggest. Meanwhile, the top three perceived adverse side effects include ...
Preliminary study finds 34% of detox inpatients using opioids.(Addiction Psychiatry)
Mar 01, 2008 ... CORONADO, CALIF. -- About one-third of inpatients on a detoxification unit were currently taking prescription opioid medication, most commonly Lortab and hydrocodone, results from a small pilot study showed. In an investigation of prescription opioid use and misuse among ...
Use incentives to stop inmates' substance abuse.(Addiction Psychiatry)
Mar 01, 2008; ... CORONADO, CALIF. -- Treatment and continuing care are two key components to a chronic care approach to effective recovery for patients with a substance abuse problem. But in a correctional setting, that basic model faces several challenges and is sometimes impossible to employ, ...
Sexually transmitted disease rates still on rise.(Community Psychiatry)
Mar 01, 2008; ... Rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis increased in the United States during the past year and continued recent upward trends, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Young women, racial and ethnic populations, and men who have sex with ...
Perspective.(Community Psychiatry)
Mar 01, 2008; ... Telemedicine is particularly well suited to psychiatry. It allows you to see and talk to your patient, which is what we do. The absence of the other senses is mostly a nonissue, with the exception of some neurological testing--which occasionally is necessary. I started using ...
Telepsychiatry addresses needs of rural youth.(PREVENTION IN ACTION)
Mar 01, 2008; ... Life in rural America appears to render today's children and adolescents especially vulnerable to mental health problems. An analysis of mental health risk factors and service access conducted by the South Carolina Rural Health Research Center (SCRHRC) found that nearly one ...
Classifying stalkers aids counseling of victims.(Forensic Psychiatry)
Mar 01, 2008; ... MIAMI BEACH -- Risk assessment and management of stalking should begin with classifying the offender into one of five general types based on behavior, according to two presentations at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law. Rejected, intimacy ...
Multisystemic therapy helps sex offenders, saves money.(Forensic Psychiatry)(Report)
Mar 01, 2008; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- Several recent studies show that multisystemic therapy helped decrease behavioral problems and criminal activity among adolescent sexual offenders, Charles M. Borduin, Ph.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association. The complexity ...
For gene carriers, age 60 is key.(Neuropsychiatric Medicine)(Clinical report)
Mar 01, 2008; ... Age 60 seems to be the defining year for many homozygous carriers of the apolipoprotein [epsilon]4 gene--the time when age-related changes in cognition focus more on memory and begin a steeper decline into mild cognitive impairment and, eventually Alzheimer's disease, according to new ...
Longevity after dementia onset is estimated.(Neuropsychiatric Medicine)
Mar 01, 2008; ... Dementia patients live a median of 4.5 years following the estimated onset of the condition, with male, older, and disabled patients having a significantly shorter survival time, according to a population study published online in BMJ. The large multicenter study of English and ...
Combined treatment eases migraine activity: three-part therapy produced at least 50% reduction in episodes, migraine days in 80% of patients.(Pain Medicine)
Mar 01, 2008; ... WASHINGTON -- The combination of optimized acute medication, preventive medication, and behavioral therapy significantly reduced migraine activity, according to study results presented at the annual meeting of the American Pain Society. In a study of 232 patients with frequent, ...
Midlife migraine predicts brain infarcts later in life.(Pain Medicine)
Mar 01, 2008; ... WASHINGTON -- Migraines in midlife with accompanying visual aura predict later-life brain infarcts, according to a poster presentation at the annual meeting of the American Neurological Association. Furthermore, the relationship between migraine with aura and late-life cortical ...
Chronic pain worse among emergency department patients.(Pain Medicine)(Clinical report)
Mar 01, 2008; ... CHICAGO -- Emergency department patients with a history of chronic pain rate their pain as more severe than acute pain patients do, based on a prospective, observational study conducted in 20 emergency departments, said Dr. Martha L. Neighbor at the annual meeting of the Society for ...
Sleep medicine strives to unite multiple disciplines.(Psychosomatic Medicine)
Mar 01, 2008; ... MINNEAPOLIS -- The need to unite sleep specialists from multiple academic departments challenges the field of sleep medicine, Dr. Ronald D. Chervin said at the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies. "Because sleep is relevant to so many different ...
CBT for insomnia may reduce osteoarthritis pain.(Psychosomatic Medicine)(Clinical report)
Mar 01, 2008; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- Cognitive-behavioral therapy for comorbid insomnia in patients with osteoarthritis not only improved sleep but also reduced self-reported pain in a randomized, controlled pilot study of 51 patients, reported Michael V. Vitiello, Ph.D. The improvements in both ...
Women, families with children need sleep education.(Psychosomatic Medicine)
Mar 01, 2008; ... NEW ORLEANS -- Mothers of young children aren't likely to be surprised by a recent study showing that they are more sleep deprived than are their male partners and women without children, but the findings are important because they underscore the need for sleep education in families with ...
Acne may be sign of body dysmorphic disorder.(Psychosomatic Medicine)
Mar 01, 2008; ... LOS ANGELES -- Significant numbers of patients with acne have debilitating symptoms normally associated with body dysmorphic disorder, Dr. Whitney P. Bowe said at the annual meeting of the Society for Investigational Dermatology In her screening study, 14%-21% of the 128 ...
Mental impairments found among MS patients who use cannabis.(Psychosomatic Medicine)
Mar 01, 2008; ... Multiple sclerosis patients who smoke marijuana were more likely to have a history of a mental illness and also performed worse on a test of their mental processing speed and working memory, according to results of a community-based study. The data "provide the first evidence of ...
Mood disorder symptoms prevalent in epilepsy.(Psychosomatic Medicine)
Mar 01, 2008; ... PHILADELPHIA -- Symptoms of bipolar disorder are prevalent among patients with epilepsy, and are highly associated with depressive symptoms in these patients, an analysis of 54 epilepsy patients at a tertiary care center shows. Patients with epilepsy and both bipolar and ...
Protocol works for narcotic bowel syndrome.(Psychosomatic Medicine)
Mar 01, 2008; ... SALT LAKE CITY -- Narcotic bowel syndrome is a problem that physicians have been sweeping under the rug, and it may be growing in frequency, Dr. Douglas A. Drossman said at the annual meeting of the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition. ...
Breast ca leads drop in U.S., U.K. mortality.(Across Specialties)
Mar 01, 2008; ... SAN ANTONIO -- Total cancer mortality among middle-aged women in the United States and United Kingdom has declined markedly since 1990--and an unprecedented drop in breast cancer mortality is the biggest reason why, Sir Richard Peto, Ph.D., said at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. ...
Report cites diet, exercise as keys in Prevention of Cancer.(Across Specialties)
Mar 01, 2008; ... WASHINGTON -- A comprehensive evidence-based report issued by an international expert panel provides an unprecedented analysis supporting the preventability of cancer by way of diet, exercise, and avoidance of obesity. Developed over a 5-year period by a multinational team of 21 ...
Evidence backs vitamin D as longevity booster.(Across Specialties)
Mar 01, 2008; ... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- Mounting evidence strongly suggests routine vitamin D supplementation reduces all-cause mortality. "We may finally have a vitamin that translates into greater longevity," declared Dr. Robert A. Vogel, professor of medicine at the University of Maryland, ...
Inadequate vitamin D may set the stage for heart disease.(Across Specialties)
Mar 01, 2008; ... Vitamin D deficiency may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease in adults, especially in people who also have hypertension, based on data from the Framingham Offspring Study. More studies are needed to show whether correcting vitamin D deficiency could prevent or reduce the ...
Rheumatoid arthritis doubles heart failure risk.(Across Specialties)
Mar 01, 2008; ... SNOWMASS, COLO. -- Heart failure is a major contributor to the excess mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, Dr. Sherine E. Gabriel said at a symposium sponsored by the American College of Rheumatology. Rheumatoid arthritis patients have twice the risk of developing ...