Low-doses of fish oil may reduce seizures in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy
An estimated 3 million Americans suffer from epileptic seizures. Although drug therapies often successfully dampen the out-of-control neural firing that produces seizures, such drugs don’t work for everyone.
A new study by researchers at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA suggests that for such patients, improvement might come in the form of a few capsules of fish oil.
The small, randomized, controlled study, published Sept. 8 in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry (JNNP), shows that low doses of omega-3 fatty acids — the key component in common fish-oil capsules — may help decrease the ...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - September 9, 2014 Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news
Methylene blue and poison-induced hypotension
3 out of 5 stars
Methylene blue used in the treatment of refractory shock resulting from drug poisoning. Fisher J et al. Clin Toxicol 2014 Jan;52:63-65
Abstract
Refractory shock in drug overdose results mainly from myocardial depression and/or vasodilatation. Bedside echocardiography can be very helpful in sorting out these two mechanisms, each of which might require somewhat different therapy.
The best example of this is calcium channel blocker overdose. With myocardial depression, high-dose insulin/euglycemic therapy (HIT) should be considered early on. However, HIT would not be expected to produce significant vasoco...
Source: The Poison Review - January 16, 2014 Category: Toxicology Authors: Leon Tags: Medical antidoate distributive shock hypotension methylene blue nitric oxide quetiapine Source Type: news
Kleine-Levin Syndrome May Be Misdiagnosed as Bipolar Disorder
Kleine-Levin Syndrome (KLS) is an extremely rare sleep disorder that can take years to be diagnosed. One of the possible conditions that KLS can be mistaken for is bipolar disorder, and in fact, some of the same medications used to treat bipolar disorder may be prescribed for those who have KLS.
Symptoms of KLS include excessive sleeping (hypersomnia), compulsive and excessive eating (hyperphagia), childish behavior, confusion, apathy, disorientation, hallucinations and hypersexuality. Having such a difficult illness can cause depression. In addition, KLS is episodic.
KLS affects mostly adolescents and 70% of patients ar...
Source: About.com Bipolar Disorder - August 26, 2013 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: news
Strong Genetic Link to Carbamazepine Skin Reactions in AsiansStrong Genetic Link to Carbamazepine Skin Reactions in Asians
A new review shows a 'strong' link between the HLA-B*1502 allele and carbamazepine-induced Stevens Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) in Han-Chinese, Thai and Malaysian populations. Reuters Health Information (Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines)
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines - July 31, 2013 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Dermatology News Source Type: news
Can Your Mood Stabilizer Interfere With Birth Control?
The answer is yes, some of them can. Carbamazepine (sold as Tegretol and other brand names) is especially known for causing contraceptive failures, and because this drug also has a higher than normal risk for causing birth defects, secondary methods of birth control such as condoms and, possibly, increasing the dosage of birth control medication is recommended.
Trileptal (oxcarbazepine) may also interfere with contraceptives. Birth control pills containing estrogen or progestin, contraceptive Read Full PostCan Your Mood Stabilizer Interfere With Birth Control? originally appeared on About.com Bipolar Disorder on Sunday, ...
Source: About.com Bipolar Disorder - June 30, 2013 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: news
Tegretol / Carbamazepine Side Effects
Catalogue of side effects for the medication Carbamazepine, which is often prescribed as a mood stabilizer in the treatment of bipolar disorder, as well as for epilepsy. Common brand names include Tegretol and Epitol - there are many others in different countries. (Source: About.com Bipolar Disorder)
Source: About.com Bipolar Disorder - June 16, 2013 Category: Psychiatry Authors: bipolar.guide at about.com Tags: health Source Type: news
Some Ideas for Handling Treatment-Resistant Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is being better understood each day. There is also ongoing research into its treatment.
But successfully treating bipolar disorder can involve several medication trials, and it can take years to achieve remission. Even if remission is attained, recurrence is the rule — not the exception. It’s not uncommon for all first-line treatments to be exhausted.
People in this situation may be considered by mental health professionals to be treatment-resistant. Luckily, there are treatments that can be tried when first-line, and even second-line, treatments for bipolar disorder fail.
What is Treatment ...
Source: Psych Central - June 8, 2013 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Natasha Tracy Tags: Anticonvulsants Antidepressants Atypical Antipsychotics Bipolar Cognitive-Behavioral Disorders General Medications Mood Stabilizers Psychotherapy Treatment Abilify Aripiprazole Bipolar Disorder Clinicians Consensus Depakote Source Type: news
Some Ideas for Handling Treatment-Resistant Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is being better understood each day. There is also ongoing research into its treatment.
But successfully treating bipolar disorder can involve several medication trials, and it can take years to achieve remission. Even if remission is attained, recurrence is the rule — not the exception. It’s not uncommon for all first-line treatments to be exhausted.
People in this situation may be considered by mental health professionals to be treatment-resistant. Luckily, there are treatments that can be tried when first-line, and even second-line, treatments for bipolar disorder fail.
What is Treatment ...
Source: Psych Central - June 8, 2013 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Natasha Tracy Tags: Anticonvulsants Antidepressants Atypical Antipsychotics Bipolar Cognitive-Behavioral Disorders General Medications Mood Stabilizers Psychotherapy Treatment Abilify Aripiprazole Bipolar Disorder Clinicians Consensus Depakote Source Type: news
Top 10 Common Medication Errors—Drug #8: Carbamazepine
A 9 kg 15-month-old girl with new-onset generalized tonic-clonic seizure was discharged with instructions to take carbamazepine suspension (45 mg PO BID [10 mg/kg/d]), which she'd been receiving in the hospital. In the clinic, her carbamazepine blood level was subtherapeutic. The dose was increased to 68 mg PO BID. A week later, the carbamazepine level was still subtherapeutic, but no doses had been missed. What’s the problem here? (Source: Consultant Live)
Source: Consultant Live - April 29, 2013 Category: Primary Care Source Type: news
What enhanced elimination techniques are useful in critical toxicology patients?
3 out of 5 stars
Enhanced Poison Elimination in Critical Care. Ghannoum M, Gosselin S. Adv Chronic Kidney Dis 2013 Jan;20:94-101.
Abstract
This survey of methods available for enhanced elimination in toxicology cases gives a good overview, but unnecessarily wastes time discussing modalities that now are never used (e.g., forced diuresis and urine acidification). The information would have been more accessible if it had been streamlined to reflect current practice. For instance, the authors list 20 poisons “amenable” to multidose activated charcoal, but in fact the indications for this treatment are limited and...
Source: The Poison Review - February 17, 2013 Category: Toxicology Authors: Leon Tags: Medical critical care enhanced elimination hemodialysis multidose activated charcoal overdose poisoning toxicology Source Type: news
FDA Updates Atazanavir Sulfate Capsule Labeling
“Recently [February 4, 2013] FDA approved changes to the Reyataz (atazanavir sulfate) capsule labeling to include the following changes.
“Section 5 Warnings and Precautions was revised to include cholelithiasis ...
“In section 6 Adverse Reactions: Postmarketing Experience, interstitial nephritis was added.
“In section 7 Drug Interactions: information regarding coadministration with boceprevir, carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital, lamotrigine and voriconazole was added.”
The updated labeling will be available at the FDA website.
More information is available:
FDA: Press rele...
Source: AIDSinfo At-a-Glance: Offering Information on HIV/AIDS Treatment, Prevention, and Research, A Service of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) - February 12, 2013 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news
The toxic trio: what’s the number needed to test?
This study retrospectively identified cases from a regional poison center database involving patients with supra therapeutic levels of valproic acid (VPA), lithium (Li), or carbamazepine (CZN) and “altered mental status and an unclear history of psychiatric diseases or seizure disorder and . . . an unknown medication history regarding the use of VPC, Li, or CZN.” They identified 26 cases over a 3 year period: 8 in the VPA group (113-247 μg/ml), 9 in the Li group (1.9-5.2 mEq/L), and 9 in the CZN group (13.4-38,8 μg/ml).
Although it is completely unclear what, if any, clinical significance was indicated by...
Source: The Poison Review - February 5, 2013 Category: Toxicology Authors: Leon Tags: Medical carbamazepine drug screening lithium tegretol valproate valproic acid Source Type: news
Prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders in children prenatally exposed to antiepileptic drugs
Source: J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry
Area: News
Prenatal exposure to the majority of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) has been linked to an increased risk of major congenital malformations in a dose dependent manner. There is also evidence that prenatal exposure to sodium valproate (VPA) is associated with reduced cognitive functioning in the exposed child which has increased concern about the longer term influences of prenatal exposure to AEDs.
A prospective cohort study of children born to women with epilepsy (WWE) initiated in 2000, aimed to document physical health and cognitive development. Between 2000 and 20...
Source: NeLM - News - January 31, 2013 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news
Delayed elevation in carbamazepine concentrations after overdose: a retrospective poison center study - Patel VH, Schindlbeck MA, Bryant SM.
An initial carbamazepine concentration may initially be supratherapeutic, therapeutic, or even subtherapeutic only to persist to rise over time. The aim of this study was to report the frequency of toxic carbamazepine concentrations continuing to rise and ... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))
Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) - January 26, 2013 Category: Global & Universal Tags: Alcohol and Other Drugs Source Type: news
Prevalence of anticholinergic use among older home health patients
Source: Journal of Clinical Nursing
Area: Evidence > Medicines Management > References
Anticholinergic usage patterns for patients in the USA aged 65 years and older who received home health (HH) services were examined using the 2007 National Home and Hospice Care Survey (NHHCS) data.
Slightly over 80% (80.30; 95% CI, 77.5 to 83.25) of older HH patients received at least one anticholinergic drug. High prevalence of the use of higher level anticholinergics was found. Almost 30% (29.62; 95% CI, 26.90 to 32.33) took either a level 2 (5.42%; 95% CI, 4.00 to 6.85) or level 3 (25.99%; 95% CI, 23.54 to 28.44...
Source: NeLM - Care of Older People - January 9, 2013 Category: Geriatrics Source Type: news
