Monday, February 14, 2005

Ambulatory Detoxification of Patients with Alcohol Dependence Article in American Family Physician - "The lifetime prevalence of alcohol problems is thought to be between 13.7 and 23.5 percent, indicating that these problems are common in ambulatory patients. Family physicians play an important role in identifying these patients and intervening to the degree appropriate for the severity of disease and the patient's willingness to change. Patients who have alcohol dependence may require detoxification to prevent alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS). When clinically appropriate, detoxification can be initiated in the ambulatory setting. Most ambulatory patients with alcohol dependence can be detoxified quickly and safely without the use of psychoactive drugs."  
  

Aripiprazole Use in Children and Adolescents Article from Pediatric Pharmacotherapy at Medscape - "On November 15, 2002, the newest of the atypical antipsychotics, aripiprazole, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of schizophrenia. It has subsequently been approved for use in the treatment of bipolar mania as well. This agent has been shown to be similar in efficacy to traditional antipsychotics as well as other atypical antipsychotics, but offers an improved adverse effect profile. There is growing interest in the use of aripiprazole in children with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and conduct disorders..." [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

NIH Chief Calls for Ethics Summit Los Angeles Times story - "The director of the National Institutes of Health — describing consulting payments from drug companies as a "systemic problem" that threatened the integrity of his agency — has called for a summit of government and academic leaders to address conflicts of interest throughout American medical research. Dr. Elias A. Zerhouni last week banned all of his agency's scientists from accepting consulting fees, stock or any other compensation from the biomedical industry. He also instructed the scientists to divest stock holdings in any biomedical company. The reforms, Zerhouni said in an interview, will put the NIH ahead of universities and private physicians in battling conflicts of interest." [Viewing Los Angeles Times stories requires registration, which is free].