Monday, February 14, 2005

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].  
  

Therapists Question Canada's Action on Hyperactivity Drug New York Times story - "Psychiatrists said yesterday that they were as confused as they were concerned by the news that Canadian regulators had suspended the use of a commonly prescribed hyperactivity drug amid reports of deaths linked to its use. 'The news just threw a curveball into our efforts to advise doctors on how to treat attention deficit disorders in kids,' said Dr. Oscar Bukstein, an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. 'I think everyone in the field is going to be more fastidious in how they screen children for potential heart or other problems' before prescribing drugs, said Dr. Bukstein, who is helping the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry write treatment guidelines for the attention disorder. Canadian health officials said on Wednesday that they were suspending the sale of Adderall XR indefinitely because the drug was linked to 20 deaths, 12 of those children..." [Viewing New York Times resources requires registration, which is free].