Psychopharmacology and Psychiatry Updates

In this episode, we discuss part of Dr. David Osser’s (Harvard Medical School) PTSD algorithm about treating sleep symptoms of PTSD. We cover the evidence on prazosin’s efficacy and trazodone use. The rationale behind certain drugs to avoid is also covered.

In this episode, we review principles of prescribing psychotropics in patients with liver, kidney and lung diseases with Dr. James Levenson (Virginia Commonwealth University).

In this episode, we learn to prescribe with the gut in mind. Dr. James Levenson (Virginia Commonwealth University) joins us with to-the-point tips on prescribing psychotropics in patients with GI disease as well as exploring how psychotropics can affect the GIT.

In this episode, we uncover clinical pearls of geriatric psychopharmacology. We are joined by Dr. Sandra Jacobson of the University of Arizona giving practical tips on prescribing for this special group of patients.

In this podcast episode, we take on the challenge of treatment-resistant depression and its therapeutic options. Dr. Philip Cowen (University of Oxford) provided insights for this clinical conundrum with a simple algorithm.

In this episode, we venture into the psychopharmacology of agitation, with a special focus on psychotic agitation. Dr. Michael Jibson (University of Michigan) and Dr. David Osser (Harvard Medical School) shared clinical pearls to treat this challenging situation.

When is the right time to discontinue an antipsychotic in the treatment of schizophrenia? We reviewed the evidence as well as consulting Dr. Ira Glick to help us answer this question.

Dr. Jeffrey Mattes, psychiatrist in Princeton, New Jersey speaks about drug interaction warnings that appear during electronic prescribing and how these warnings may be influenced by drug company promotion. This interview is part of a series covering the 2018 ASCP Annual Meeting.

Dr. Mark Zimmerman, Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University, speaks about depression efficacy trials and their clinical implications.

Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris speaks about the use of psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression.  - Psilocybin, a psychedelic, is a 5-HT2A agonist.  Stimulation of the 5-HT2A receptor promotes neural plasticity -A potential mechanism of action of psilocybin in treatment-resistant depression involves “brain resetting” - Psilocybin has a good safety profile. However, patients may experience challenging psychological experiences that may turn out to be frightening for some people

At the 2018 Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association, Dr. Robert Patterson (psychiatrist at McLean Hospital Boston) spoke about the benefits of following a structured approach to psychopharmacology. In this episoder, Dr. Patterson explains why algorithms are good for patient outcomes and how they support clear decision making.