Tuesday, September 30, 2003

Long-term Management of Bipolar Disorder
A new CME from Medscape. From the introduction - " Bipolar disorder is a chronic, recurrent illness associated with tremendous societal costs -- increased healthcare costs, loss of productivity, lower quality of life, and suicide.The illness is also characterized by increased risk of recurrence with age. However, maintenance treatment, in general, has been short-term and episode-focused. Maintenance treatment, in bipolar disorder, is achieved by using medications that, alone or in combinations, prevent the occurrence of new episodes, optimize socio-occupational functioning by keeping the severity of interepisode symptoms to a minimal level, and are tolerable to facilitate long-term compliance with the medication regimen. Remission and "functional recovery," the primary goals of treatment, are possible despite the complex nature of bipolar disorder..." [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Stanford Research Finds Gene Variations That Alter Antidepressant Side Effects
Stanford University Medical Center press release at PsycPORT - "Researchers at Stanford University Medical Center have identified a genetic marker that can explain why some people experience side effects to common antidepressants while others do not. They also found that a key liver enzyme involved in breaking down these antidepressants surprisingly played no role in the development of side effects nor in how well the drugs worked. The findings may lead to fewer side effects for patients undergoing antidepressant drug therapy." See also the abstract of "Pharmacogenetics of Antidepressant Medication Intolerance" at the American Journal of Psychiatry (full text is available for a fee),