BACKGROUND Women prescribed antipsychotics face the dilemma on whether to continue medication in pregnancy in terms of balancing risks and benefits. Previous research on other psychotropic medications suggests that many women discontinue treatment in early pregnancy. However, very limited evidence exists on discontinuation of antipsychotic medication. METHODS We identified 495,953 pregnant wo...

Ethnopharmacologic research has revealed that ethnicity significantly affects drug response. Genetic or cultural factors, or both, may influence a given drug's pharmacokinetics (its absorption, metabolism, distribution, and elimination) and pharmacodynamics (its mechanism of action and effects at the target site), as well as patient adherence and education. In addition, the tremendous variation...

PURPOSE Stressful childhood experiences have negative long-term health consequences. The present study examines the association between adverse childhood experiences, socioeconomic position, and risk of psychotropic medication in young adulthood. METHODS This register-based cohort study comprises the birth cohorts between 1985 and 1988 in Sweden. We followed 362 663 individuals for use of psy...

QUESTION In light of recent negative media attention to antidepressant use during late pregnancy, several of my patients have either discontinued or are considering discontinuing their antidepressant medications. How can I best counsel these patients on taking antidepressants during late pregnancy? ANSWER Antidepressant use during the third trimester has been associated occasionally with a tr...

Early onset schizophrenia (onset before adulthood) is a rare, severe, and chronic form of schizophrenia. The clinical presentation of schizophrenia at this unusually early age of onset has been associated with premorbid developmental abnormalities, poor response to neuroleptic treatment, greater admission rates, and poor prognosis. This is a brief, condensed review of current treatment strategi...

As the opening scenario illustrates about Mary and Bob, bipolar disorder can be devastating to individuals and families. Managing symptoms through psychotropic medications can help people with mental illness better manage their lives. Our brief review of the current research supports the effectiveness of atypical antipsychotic medications and, therefore, supports their use in treating bipolar d...

Most patients with cardiac arrhythmias require treatment with antiarrhythmic drugs, although recent advances in surgical and electrical techniques are promising. The ideal antiarrhythmic compound should have: (1) A wide range of therapeutic activity in both atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. (2) Parenteral and oral formulations to permit simple dosage schedules. (3) Pharmacokinetic properties ...

Several preattentive mechanisms have proved to be sensitive markers of clinical change in schizophrenia. Two related studies of visuospatial orientation used cued target detection combined with choice reaction time, short/long preparation, with or without a signal/target interval ("gap"/ "no-gap," to detect attentional disengagement difficulty in schizophrenia). End points were reaction times, ...

BACKGROUND To identify the predictors of psychotropic medication use and to determine rates and patterns of use in Northern Ireland (NI) among the general population and various subgroups. METHOD Analysis of data from the NI Study of Health and Stress, a representative household survey undertaken between 2004 and 2008 with 4340 individuals. Respondents were asked about prescribed psychotropic...