Thursday, October 21, 2004

Antipsychotic Drugs Linked to Insulin Resistance in Children
Ascribe Newswire story reprinted at PsycPORT - "Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Children's Center say a group of drugs known as "atypical antipsychotics" that are commonly used to treat children with aggression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia may trigger insulin resistance, a condition that increases the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and heart disease later in life. Results of the study linking insulin resistance to the use of these antipsychotics are scheduled for presentation October 20th during the annual meeting of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Washington, D.C. ..."  
  

Pediatricians Feel Unprepared To Treat Mental Illness
Psychiatry News story - "Pediatricians surveyed in North Carolina would like more education about psychopharmacology and diagnosing and treating anxiety and depression, a recent study finds. A survey of pediatricians indicates that 15 percent of the children they see in their practices have moderate to mild behavioral problems, but many say they feel unprepared to diagnose and treat these disorders adequately. The disorders they diagnosed frequently or occasionally, usually with the help of standardized instruments such as questionnaires, were attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, and anxiety. Forty-seven pediatricians in primary care practices in North Carolina were interviewed by researchers at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. The results were published in the September Pediatrics."