Archive for October, 2005
« Previous EntriesNew Melatonergic Antidepressant Combines Efficacy With Very Favourable Side-Effect Profile
Sunday, October 30th, 2005The first melatonergic antidepressant, Valdoxan® (agomelatine), offers an innovative new approach to the treatment of depression. Valdoxan combines antidepressant efficacy, even in severely depressed patients, with an extremely favourable side-effect profile and has the additional benefit of sleep regulation in depressive patients, according to new data presented at the 18th Congress of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) today… click link for more info.
Pediatric antidepressant use drops, USA
Sunday, October 30th, 2005Since warnings started to appear in labels of antidepressants, their use by children has dropped. Since 2002 there has been a 20% fall in antidepressant prescriptions for children, according to Verispan. There has been a 32% drop for children under 12 and a 18% drop for children aged 12-18. As from 2003 many antidepressants started carrying warnings about the raised incidents of suicidal thoughts… click link for more info.
Vagus Nerve Stimulation Can Aid Treatment-Resistant Depression
Sunday, October 30th, 2005Charles Donovan, author of the soon-to-be-released book “Out of the Black Hole: A Patient’s Guide to Vagus Nerve Stimulation,” which gives an account of Donovan’s experiences with treatment-resistant depression: “In the U.S., an estimated 4 million people suffer with treatment-resistant depression… click link for more info.
US Supreme Court Declines To Hear Appeal Over Patent Dispute for Pfizer’s Antidepressant Zoloft
Sunday, October 30th, 2005The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday without comment declined to hear an appeal from http://www.tevapharm.com/Teva Pharmaceuticals involving a patent on http://www.pfizer.com/pfizer/main.jspPfizer’s antidepressant Zoloft, the http://www… click link for more info.
Fast-Dissolving Antidepressant, Remeron SolTab®, Enhances Compliance in 50% Of Patients
Sunday, October 30th, 2005Two-thirds of depressed patients prefer Remeron SolTab®, a fast dissolving antidepressant tablet to the antidepressant’s conventional tablet formulation. This according to findings, from a unique global research study involving almost 4,000 patients to date, that were recently presented at the American Psychiatric Association (APA) annual meeting in Atlanta… click link for more info.
GPs reluctant to prescribe anti-depressants in the face of uncertainty, UK
Sunday, October 30th, 2005GPs are cautious in prescribing anti-depressants to patients and would welcome definitive guidelines into watchful waiting, says a study in the October issue of THE BRITISH JOURNAL OF GENERAL PRACTICE (BJGP). The study included twenty-seven GPs from different practices in Bristol and the surrounding rural areas… click link for more info.
Chromium Picolinate Linked With Reduced Carbohydrate Cravings In People With Atypical Depression
Sunday, October 30th, 2005A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study assessing chromium picolinate supplementation in 113 people with atypical depression found that a subset of patients who reported the highest levels of carbohydrate cravings demonstrated significantly greater reductions than the placebo group on four items on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D-29): carbohydrate craving, appetite increase, increased eating, and diurnal variation of feeling (mood variation throughout the day)… click link for more info.
Antidepressant Paxil Might Be Associated With Birth Defects, Study Says
Sunday, October 30th, 2005GlaxoSmithKline’s antidepressant drug Paxil might be associated with birth defects, http://www.fda.gov/FDA said on Tuesday, the http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/business/12759656.htmAP/Philadelphia Inquirer reports. According to FDA and the company, a retrospective study on women who took Paxil during the first trimester of pregnancy found that there were an increased number of infants born with birth defects, including heart defects, when compared with pregnant women who took other antidepressants during their first trimester… click link for more info.
NICE guidance sets new standards for treating depression in children and young people, UK
Sunday, October 30th, 2005The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health have today (28 September) launched a clinical guideline on the treatment and management of depression in children and young people. The guideline recommends that - • Children and young people with moderate to severe depression should be offered, as a first-line treatment, a specific psychological therapy (such as cognitive behavioural therapy, interpersonal therapy or family therapy of at least 3 months’ duration)… click link for more info.
Antidepressant Medications are Effective for Use in Primary Care
Sunday, October 30th, 2005The vast majority of patients with clinical depression are seen in a primary care setting. Yet most studies examining the effectiveness of antidepressant medications are done with patients who see a psychiatric specialist and who may have a different etiology, pathophysiology and natural history for their depression… click link for more info.
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