Daily emails

Included in Membership of this website is a feature that has greatly benefited many hundreds of your colleagues—daily emails providing high-yield tips on an advanced topic in mental health. Every day,  365 days a year! These tips are sent directly in an email to you and can be read in less than 5 minutes each.

Do you want to be a truly Expert Psychopharmacologist? Do you wish you could get brief, clear, but authoritative answers to your clinical questions? Do you want a source of reliable information rather than having to rely only on the internet? If you are willing to spend 3 to 5 minutes a day, we do all the rest of the work for you!

---

“Every day, incredibly useful clinical pearls. After 30 years of practice, I am amazed how much I didn’t know! Best CME $ ever spent!” — Mark Komrad, MD (Baltimore, Maryland, USA). http://www.komradmd.com/

---

“After 24 years practicing psychiatry, I have tried many types of CME, Updates, Newsletters, etc and I receive the most consistent knowledge from your website and emails.” — John Justice, MD (West Virginia University School of Medicine, Poca, West Virginia).

---

“It is a very useful website that is unlike any other resource that I have seen. Great, great stuff.” — Kari Groff, MD (Private Practice, New York, USA).

---

“Dr. Mago, I just want to say “thank you!” This is truly the best money I’ve spent on educational material.” — Mo Dattu, MD (Private Practice, Pennsylvania, USA).

---

***Read more reviews of Membership in Simple and Practical Mental Health***

---

***Click here to become a Member!***

---

Here are the clinical summaries that have been sent out so far:

1. How to reduce risk of priapism due to trazodone

2. You may need to prescribe an iron supplement

3. These three MUST be taken with food

4. You may be giving the wrong dose of stimulant (discussion of equivalent doses of stimulants)

5. Which antibiotics could cause serious problems in your patients?

6. Important detail when prescribing temazepam (some practical tips regarding hypnotics)

7. This blood test is very helpful in patients on buprenorphine

8. Lithium and antihypertensives: Be careful!

9. Correct dose and duration of l-methylfolate

10. These are the patients in whom we should consider lithium

11. Mirtazapine and renal transplant

12. When patients demand a sleeping pill

13. List of options for hypnotics with lower addiction potential

14. What to do about fatigue/somnolence

15. Can you solve this clinical puzzle?

16. Will buprenorphine show up in a urine drug screen?

17. One website to inform them all

18. Oxcarbazepine versus Carbamazepine: Three Pros and One Con

19. How to identify hyponatremia due to psychotropic medications

20. How should we manage hyponatremia?

21. Your patient may be taking a psychiatric medication by another brand name

22. Extended-release preparations come in many forms

23. Some extended-release capsules are OK to open and some are not

24. Warning: Hydroxyzine (Vistaril, Atarax) can be dangerous

25. Should we routinely prefer extended-release preparations? Part 1

26. Should we routinely prefer extended-release preparations? Part 2

27. Which MAOI should I pick?

28. An easy way to significantly reduce discontinuation of medications

29. Does vortioxetine work for GAD?

30. What to do about antidepressants in persons with renal disease?

31. What are the side effects, doctor?

32. Watch out for dry mouth

33. How to manage dry mouth: level one (the simplest measures)

34. How to manage dry mouth–Level 2 and 3 measures

35. What to do about rash/itching with transdermal selegiline?

36. Oral contraceptives and lamotrigine: Part 1

37. Oral contraceptives and lamotrigine: Part 2

38. A case of tardive dyskinesia on an antidepressant: Part 1

39. A case of tardive dyskinesia on an antidepressant: Part 2

40. When to measure serum levels of mood stabilizers: Part 1

41. When to measure serum levels of mood stabilizers: Part 2

42. Which psychotropic medication should be taken WITHOUT food?

43. Managing loss of appetite due to stimulant medications-Part 1

44. Managing loss of appetite due to stimulant medications-Part 2

45. Brain zaps-Part 1 (Clinical features)

46. Brain zaps-Part 2 (Assessment and Management)

47. Which CYP 450 isoenzyme metabolizes which medication?

48. Drug holidays for sexual dysfunction

49. How to know if the BUN and creatinine are elevated due to dehydration

50. 365 Advanced Topics in Psychopharmacology: Quiz 1

51. Should we prescribe medications for weight loss?

52. Some issues about phentermine-topiramate (Qsymia) for weight loss

53. How does bariatric surgery affect dissolution of psychotropic medications?

54. Bariatric surgery and extended-release preparations

55. Can hypnotics be used in persons with sleep apnea?

56. Is your patient taking a psychotropic drug with another brand name?

57. Vortioxetine and sexual dysfunction: How to read a clinical trial

58. Finding out the price, comparing prices, and getting a lower price

59. What do the es-, the levo-, and the dex- mean in drug names?

60. Serum folate is not the right test to order

61. What if lamotrigine is missed for three or more days?

62. Lithium: in how many doses per day and at what time?

63. Let’s not miss orthostatic hypotension

64. How to correctly measure and interpret orthostatic blood pressure and pulse

65. Simple tips to manage orthostatic hypotension

66. Should we prescribe dexmethylphenidate (Focalin) rather than methylphenidate (Ritalin)?

67. How does dexmethylphenidate XR (Focalin XR) deliver the drug?

68. Pros and cons of dexmethylphenidate XR versus methylphenidate ER

69. Is it true that mirtazapine (Remeron) can cause agranulocytosis?

70. Should we use gabapentin for bipolar disorder or not?

71. Which omega-3 fatty acids to recommend–Part One

72. Exactly which omega-3 product to recommend

73. Are the clozapine-norclozapine ratio and norclozapine level useful?

74. Doesn’t escitalopram cause QTc prolongation?

75. Which psychotropic medications to continue or stop during surgery?

76. How to systematically examine a person with akathisia

77. Watch out for herbal-psychotropic drug interactions

78. Drug interactions with St. John’s Wort

79. How to tell if a rash is benign or possible Stevens-Johnson Syndrome

80. How is high-dose vitamin C important in prescribing medications?

81. We often don’t identify rapid cycling but should

82. Essential facts about bupropion and seizures

83. Bupropion versus bupropion: Seizure risk with different preparations and doses

84. Should we prescribe Forfivo XL 450 mg?

85. HLA testing in psychopharmacology: Part one

86. HLA testing in psychopharmacology: Part two

87. Oxcarbazepine? Lamotrigine? HLA testing and psychopharmacology: Part three

88 How likely is your patient to carry higher-risk HLA antigens?

89. Tips on using gabapentin for anxiety disorders

90. 7 things to know about divalproex and hair loss

91. Gabapentin versus pregabalin: potential for misuse

92. Be careful with medications that have a long half-life

93. TEN psychotropic medications with a long half-life

94. Higher than usual doses of SSRIs for OCD?

95. For which medications do you ALWAYS do an ECG?

96. Six medications for which big changes are needed in CYP poor metabolizers

97. One exit door or many?

98. Are antidepressants addictive?

99. Management of antidepressant discontinuation (withdrawal) syndrome: Part one

100. Management of antidepressant discontinuation (withdrawal) syndrome: Part two

101. How exactly to add fluoxetine to manage antidepressant discontinuation (withdrawal) syndrome

102. How to really slowly taper an antidepressant: Part one

103. How to look up whether a drug can cause QTc prolongation or torsades

104. A puzzling case of acute dyskinesia

105. Don’t cause unplanned pregnancy

106. Hepatic Function Tests: Part one–Overview

107. Four strange things about levels of AST and ALT

108. Remember: L is for Liver

109. Is the elevated plasma ammonia a false positive?

110. What is pramipexole and why should we care?

111. Should we consider pramipexole for treating mood disorders?

112. Tips on using pramipexole: Part one

113. Tips on using pramipexole: Part two

114. Potential adverse effects of pramipexole

115. Should clomipramine be a first-line treatment for OCD?

116. Six tips about using SSRIs for OCD

117. OCD: If the initial medication does not work?

118. How to do a drug interaction search in one minute

119. Antipsychotics for OCD: What and for whom

120. Antipsychotics for OCD: How much and for how long

121. Don’t miss bruxism in your patients

122. How to manage antidepressant-induced bruxism

123. An antidote to treat antidepressant-induced bruxism

124. CYP450 update about newer medications

125. Are lower doses of lithium helpful?

126. Do you regularly prescribe metformin for metabolic adverse effects?

127. Metformin: Who are the best candidates?

128. Potential adverse effects of metformin: Part one

129. Part 2: Metformin can cause B12 deficiency

130. A potentially fatal adverse effect of metformin

131. Tips on prescribing metformin

132. Warning-this could happen if we are not careful (Restarting lamotrigine)

133. What dose should you switch to?

134. Antipsychotic dose equivalents: The Table

135. 365 Advanced Topics in Psychopharmacology: Quiz 2

136. Pros and cons of the two extended-release injections of aripiprazole

137. Warning–the patient may faint after the very first dose

138. How to minimize risk of syncope with prazosin

139. How to choose a cholinesterase inhibitor

140. How to manage MAO-inhibitor-induced insomnia

141. The bottom line on medications for Alzheimer’s disease

142. What about vascular dementia?

143. What about other dementias?

144. Are you specifying these?

145. What is “anxious distress” and why does it matter?

146. VMAT2 inhibitor? What’s that?

147. Which VMAT2 inhibitor should we prefer?

148. In older adults, avoid medications with anticholinergic activity

149. Which medications have significant anticholinergic activity?

150. How exactly to evaluate anticholinergic burden

151. Can lamotrigine levels predict adverse effects? 

152. How to get the benefits of split treatment

153. Tips for managing split treatment

154. Three commonly held fallacies about the AIMS

155. How to reduce risk in split treatment

156. How often should the AIMS examination be done?

157. THREE activating procedures in AIMS and what to look for

158. Should we combine methylphenidate and guanfacine? 

159. Do side effects of methylphenidate and guanfacine cancel each other out?

160. Tips on using clonazepam ODT (wafers)

161. Six differences between guanfacine and clonidine: Part one

162. Six differences between guanfacine and clonidine: Part two

163. When NOT to use antidepressants in bipolar depression

164. Which antidepressants have greater or lesser risk in bipolar depression?

165. Dose equivalents for antidepressants

166. Excoriation (skin picking) disorder

167. Key clinical features of Excoriation (skin picking) disorder

168. How to treat excoriation (skin picking) disorder: Part one

169. How to treat excoriation (skin picking) disorder: Part two (a)

         How to treat excoriation (skin picking) disorder: Part two (b)

170. Clozapine-induced hypersalivation is a big deal

171. Treatment of medication-induced hypersalivation: Part one

172. Treatment of medication-induced hypersalivation: Part two

173. Treatment of medication-induced hypersalivation: Part three

174. 365 Advanced Topics in Psychopharmacology: Quiz 3

175. Don’t do it

176. Pharmacogenetics part one: 5-HTTLPR

177. Pharmacogenetics part two: 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms

178. Can 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms predict if an SSRI will work?

179. 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms and antidepressant efficacy: part two

180. 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms do predict side effects with SSRIs

181. Significance of 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms: A summary

182. Serotonin 2A receptor gene polymorphisms predict antidepressant side effects

183. HTR2C polymorphisms and weight gain: Part one

184. HTR2C polymorphisms and weight gain: Part two

185. What is P-glycoprotein (ABCB1 transporter)?

186. Antidepressants and P-glycoprotein

187. ABCB1 predicts adverse effects with SSRIs

188. Understanding lithium-induced polyuria and diabetes insipidus

189. Evaluating the patient with polyuria: part one

190. Evaluating the patient with polyuria: part two

191. Evaluating the patient with polyuria: part three

192. How to manage lithium-induced polyuria/ diabetes insipidus: part one

193. How to manage lithium-induced polyuria/ diabetes insipidus: part two

194. How to manage lithium-induced polyuria/ diabetes insipidus: part three

195. Are we missing Body Dysmorphic Disorder?

196. Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Pharmacological treatment (part one)

197. Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Pharmacological treatment (part two)

198. Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Pharmacological treatment (part three)

199. My genetic testing showed I need a high dose of a stimulant: Part one

200. My genetic testing showed I need a high dose of a stimulant: Part two

201. How to measure serum prolactin?

202. If prolactin is elevated, ask these questions

203. Elevated prolactin: Next steps

204. Is the extended-release preparation of lithium carbonate better?

205. Pimavanserin (Nuplazid®): A new antipsychotic (Part one)

206. Pimavanserin (Nuplazid®): A new antipsychotic (Part two) (A)

         Pimavanserin (Nuplazid®): A new antipsychotic (Part two) (B)

207.  Pimavanserin (Nuplazid) Part three: Potential serious adverse effects

208.  Pimavanserin (Nuplazid) Part four: The how to

209. What does Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) work for?

210. What percentage of patients with MDD responds to TMS?

211. Who is more likely to respond to TMS?

212. How much is the risk of a seizure with TMS?

213. Lithium and psoriasis

214. Which TCA should we recommend first?

215. Tips on thyroid function testing: Part one

216. Tips on thyroid function testing: Part two

217. Tips on thyroid function testing: Part three

218. Orally disintegrating tablets (ODTs) can be useful 

219. Psychotropic medications are sometimes given sublingually

220. Important instructions to give for sublingual medications

221. Complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) for depressive disorders

222. Complementary and Alternative Medications for MDD: Summary

223. S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) for depressive disorders: Part one

224. S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) for depressive disorders: Part two

225. S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) for depressive disorders: Part three

226. MAO inhibitors can affect vitamin B6: Part one

227. MAO inhibitors can affect vitamin B6: Part two

228. Ketamine infusions for major depression: Part one

229. Ketamine infusions for major depression: Part two

230. Ketamine infusions for major depression: Part three

231. Ketamine infusions for major depression: Part four

232. Lithium-induced benign tremor: Introduction

233. Lithium-induced benign tremor: Evaluation

234. How to treat lithium-induced benign tremor

235. Which beta blockers to use for lithium-induced benign tremors

236. Is lamotrigine safe for use in pregnancy? Part one

237. Is lamotrigine safe for use in pregnancy? Part two

238. Is lamotrigine safe for use in pregnancy? Part three

239 (a). Is lamotrigine safe for use in pregnancy? Part four

        (b). Pregnancy registries

240. Don’t ignore atomoxetine for ADHD in adults

241. Does atomoxetine improve executive functioning?

242. Eight advantages of prescribing atomoxetine

243. How to prescribe atomoxetine for ADHD in adults

244. Atomoxetine: Are we giving enough and for long enough?

245. How to add valproate to lamotrigine

246. Important interactions when using two medications for ADHD

247. 365 Advanced Topics in Psychopharmacology: Quiz 4

248. Was the hypomania or mania “antidepressant-induced”?

249. Do you prescribe bupropion for ADHD in adults?

250. Is it important to taper gabapentin?

251. Cardiovascular Risk Screening Form

252. Smoking can seriously affect some psychotropic medications

253. Smoking and psychotropic medications: Part two

254. Smoking and psychotropic medications: Part three

255. Can we use topiramate to treat medication-induced weight gain?

256. Is TD less likely with second-generation (“atypical”) antipsychotics?

257. We have to choose one of two types of TCAs

258. Two types of tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs): Part two

259. Management of tardive dyskinesia: First-line options

260. Systematic management of tardive dyskinesia: Part two

261. Systematic management of tardive dyskinesia: Part three

262. Systematic management of tardive dyskinesia: Part four

263. Is lurasidone useful for longer-term treatment of bipolar disorder?

264. Bipolar disorder with comorbid panic disorder: Part one

265: Bipolar disorder with comorbid panic disorder: Part two

266: Bipolar disorder with comorbid panic disorder: Part three

267. False positive urine drug screens: Part one

268. The urine drug screen is positive but the patient denies using the substance

269. Next step to rule out a false positive

270. Dose adjustment for second-generation antipsychotics based on drug interactions

271. Check for this before prescribing an antidepressant for bipolar depression

272. The dose of quetiapine is NOT the same for each disorder

273. How to not delay treatment of acute mania

274. Does loading dose of valproate have pros and (usually) no cons?

275. Order genetic testing for a patient on atomoxetine?

276. Do CYP2D6 PM’s have more side effects on atomoxetine?

277. When and how to check the clomipramine level

278. Changing between the different forms of long-acting injectable aripiprazole

279. An alert from a colleague (psychotropic medication induced glaucoma)

280. Psychotropic medication and glaucoma: Part one

281. Keep an “eye” out for these high risk patients

282. 365 Advanced Topics in Psychopharmacology: Quiz 5

283. Once-a-day preparation of mixed amphetamine salts

284. A triple-bead preparation of mixed amphetamine salts

285. Potential disadvantages of the triple-bead preparation of mixed amphetamine salts

286. Conclusions and verdict

287. Should we give high-dose SSRI for panic disorder?

288. We need to learn more about difficult-to-treat panic disorder

289. One of our Member’s urine was positive for PCP

290. Would you ever use bupropion to treat panic disorder?

291. Do you prescribe beta blockers for panic disorder?

292. Which beta blocker and for how long?

293. How common is ADHD in persons with bipolar disorder?

294. How to treat ADHD in persons with bipolar disorder

295. Best books about adult ADHD for patients and/or families

        Best books on adult ADHD for clinicians

296. How to assess outcome in panic disorder and not leave the patient only partially treated

297. Who is at higher risk of bleeding with antidepressants?

298. Antidepressants and bleeding: When do we need to ask additional questions?

299. Antidepressants and bleeding: What should we ask?

300. Should we recommend ultrabrief pulse ECT?

301. The final verdict on ultrabrief pulse ECT

302. Insomnia? Ask about medications

303. Pros and cons of ramelteon (Rozerem) as a hypnotic

304. Pros and cons of ramelteon (Rozerem) as a hypnotic: Part two

305. Best medicines for sleep in elderly patients?

306. Which brand and preparation of melatonin to recommend?

307. Best medicines for sleep in elderly patients? Part two

308. Best medicines for sleep in elderly patients? Part three

309. Best medicines for sleep in elderly patients? Part four

310. Sleep medications to avoid in older adults

311. 365 Advanced Topics in Psychopharmacology: Quiz 6

312. Does oxcarbazepine work for bipolar disorder?

313. My opinion about using oxcarbazepine for bipolar disorder

314. How to start, titrate, and dose oxcarbazepine (Trileptal®)

315. How to diagnose Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD): Part one

316. How to diagnose Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD): Part two

317. How to treat Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD): Part one

318. How to treat Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD): Part two

319. Five ways in which an SSRI can be given for PMDD

320. Next steps in the management of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)

321. Management of premenstrual dysphoric disorder: third-line options 

322. Equivalence of risperidone oral and long-acting injection (RLAI; Risperdal Consta®)

323. Have you ever prescribed or recommended disulfiram?

324. How does disulfiram work?

325. In what situations could disulfiram be particularly helpful?

326. What exactly happens if alcohol is used by a person on disulfiram?

327. Instructions for patients who are prescribed disulfiram (Antabuse)

328. Disulfiram (Antabuse): How much and for how long?

329. Whom is disulfiram (Antabuse) contraindicated for?

330. What are side effects of disulfiram?

331. Cannabis (marijuana) for PTSD? 

332. What happened to polysubstance dependence?

333. Can a simple intervention reduce risk of delirium in our elderly patients?

334. Does melatonin work for reducing the risk of delirium in our elderly patients?

335. Melatonin to reduce risk of delirium: For whom and exactly how?

336. Tips on using lithium for bipolar disorder during pregnancy: Part one

337. Teratogenic risk with lithium — how much, which malformations, dose-dependent?

338. Other (non-teratogenic) risks of using lithium during pregnancy

339. How to manage dosing of lithium during pregnancy

340. How should lithium dosing be managed at the time of delivery and postpartum?

341. Three characteristics of a seasonal pattern: Part one

342. Three characteristics of a seasonal pattern: Part two

343. Summary of key facts about clozapine and seizures: Part one

344. Summary of key facts about clozapine and seizures: Part two

345. Summary of key facts about clozapine and seizures: Part three

346. 365 Advanced Topics in Psychopharmacology: Quiz 7

347. Choosing the right device for bright light therapy: Part one

348. What kind of light?

349. Final suggestions about bright light therapy devices

350. How our patients should do bright light therapy

351. At what time of the day should bright light therapy be done?

352.  Important details about how exactly to do bright light therapy

353. Citalopram for agitation in Alzheimer’s disease

354. Citalopram for agitation in Alzheimer’s disease: Part two

355. Citalopram for agitation in Alzheimer’s disease: Part three

356. Citalopram for agitation in Alzheimer’s disease: Part four

357. What to do with meds if a person is on TMS

358. How to examine a person with tremor: Part one

359. How to examine a person with tremor: Part two

360. How to examine a person with tremor: Part three

361. Tips on how to rule out other causes of tremors

362. 365 Advanced Topics in Psychopharmacology: Quiz 8

363. Where to look up information on meds and lactation

364. We should be able to identify POTS in our patients

365. Important clinical features of POTS and how to diagnose it

366. Differential diagnosis and management of POTS

367. High blood pressure has been redefined in 2017

368. Blood pressure measurements vary. What should we do?

369. Which iron supplement should we recommend? Part one

370. Which iron supplement should we recommend? Part two

371. How to improve the tolerability of an iron supplement

372. How to improve the absorption of iron

373. 365 Advanced Topics in Psychopharmacology: Quiz 9

374. Another very serious side effect of clozapine that we should know about

375. How should we screen for clozapine-induced myocarditis?

376. Diagnosing clozapine-induced myocarditis and what to do next

377. Why mental health clinicians need to learn about Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome PCOS

378. Clinical features of PCOS: Part one

379. Clinical features of PCOS: Part two

380. Clinical features of PCOS: Part three. Hyperandrogenism

381. Clinical features of PCOS: Part four

382. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS): Diagnostic evaluation: Part one

383. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS): Diagnostic evaluation: Part two

384. Management of PCOS

385. Misleading interpretation of pharmacogenomic testing results: Part one

386. Misleading interpretation of pharmacogenomic testing results: Part two

387. 365 Advanced Topics in Psychopharmacology: Quiz 10

388. A greatly underutilized treatment option for bipolar depression that we should all know about

389. How to do bright light therapy differently for bipolar depression

390. What all these terms mean: Cannabis, marijuana, hemp, THC, CBD, dronabinol, and so on

391. What if you refuse an early refill of a stimulant medication?

392. What to look for in stimulant withdrawal (including a physical sign that is little known)

393. Acne is a potential side effect of lithium

394. How to know that the acne may be due to the lithium

395. What to do about caffeine

396. How much caffeine is too much?

397. Let’s educate ourselves about the caffeine content of different beverages

398. How much caffeine do coffee and tea contain?

399. Which three soft drinks have ZERO caffeine?

400. Are your patients drinking so-called “energy” drinks?

401. What do you call a cow that has been sterilized?

402. Some cases of unexpected side effects related to stimulants and antipsychotics

403. Be careful if a person is on both a stimulant and an antipsychotic

404. A perfect storm

405. What could happen when changing from an antipsychotic to a stimulant?

406. Going from an antipsychotic to a stimulant

407. Can persons on psychotropic medications donate blood?

408. It is very important for learning to intermittently test yourself (Quiz 11)

409. What is “Mild Neurocognitive Disorder”? Part one

410. What is “Mild Neurocognitive Disorder”? Part two

411. What is “Mild Neurocognitive Disorder”? Part three

412. Seizure risk if atomoxetine and bupropion are used together?

413. Why use the MoCA instead of other tests?

414. An overview of the items on the MoCA: Part one

415. An overview of the items on the MoCA: Part two

416. How exactly to administer the MoCA: Part one

417. How exactly to administer the MoCA: Part two

418. How to score the MoCA

419. Six arguments against the Mini-Mental State Exam

420. Antidepressants can injure the liver, some more than others

421. Antidepressant-induced liver injury: Part two

422. Antidepressant-induced liver injury: Part three

423. Antidepressant-induced liver injury: What should we do (part one)

424. Antidepressant-induced liver injury: What should we do (part two)

425. True or False? (Quiz 12)

426. When treating major depression, follow these three steps

427. S is for Sleep

428. Does improving sleep improve depression too?

429. A is for Anxiety

430. Should we consider a benzodiazepine for persons with major depressive disorder?

431. Benzodiazapine for persons with major depressive disorder?

432. How to do relapse prevention in bipolar disorder: Part one

433. How to do relapse prevention in bipolar disorder: Part two

434. Five websites for information about psychotropic medications and pregnancy

435. Tips on getting the most out of attending live meetings (conferences, congresses)

436. Tips on meeting people at conferences

437. Tips on attending the sessions and for after the meeting

438. Are you using a questionnaire to assess sexual functioning?

439. Which questionnaire should we use to assess sexual functioning?

440. Important instructions while giving the CSFQ to the patient: Part one

441. Important instructions while giving the CSFQ to the patient: Part two

442. How to score the CSFQ

443. How to interpret the CSFQ total and subscale scores

444. How common are benign and serious rashes with lamotrigine?

445. Do you recommend dermatological precautions when starting lamotrigine?

446. Valproate-induced pancreatitis: Part one

447. Valproate-induced pancreatitis: Part two

448. Valproate-induced pancreatitis: Part three

449. Correct answers in just ONE OR TWO SENTENCES each (Quiz 13)

450. Hypnotic if waking up in the middle of the night? Part one

451. Hypnotic if waking up in the middle of the night? Part two

452. Hypnotic if waking up in the middle of the night? Part three

453. Pros and cons of dextroamphetamine versus levoamphetamine. Part one

454. Pros and cons of dextroamphetamine versus levoamphetamine. Part two

455. Can we combine metformin and topiramate to produce weight loss? Part one

456. Can we combine metformin and topiramate to produce weight loss? Part two

457. Three quick questions with short answers provided

458. Tips on using naltrexone for alcohol use disorder: Part one

459. Tips on using naltrexone for alcohol use disorder: Part two

460. Tips on using naltrexone for alcohol use disorder: Part three

461. What is cannabidiol (CBD)? Part one

462. What is cannabidiol (CBD)? Part two

463. Can melatonin increase blood sugar? Part one

464. Can melatonin increase blood sugar? Part two

465. Cannabidiol (CBD): Clinical experience. Part one

466. Cannabidiol (CBD): Clinical experience. Part two

467. Laws about prescriptions for psychostimulants. Part one

468. Laws about prescriptions for psychostimulants. Part two

469. Laws about prescriptions for psychostimulants. Part three

470. Why neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia are important

471. Should we prescribe valproate for neuropsychiatric symptoms in persons with dementia?

472. Carbamazepine for neuropsychiatric symptoms in persons with dementia? Part one

473. Carbamazepine for neuropsychiatric symptoms in persons with dementia? Part two

474. Gabapentin for neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia? Part one

475. Gabapentin for neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia? Part two

476. What are the BEST books for adults with ADHD and their loved ones?

477. Do psychotropic medications affect intrauterine devices (IUDs)? Part one

 478. Do psychotropic medications affect intrauterine devices (IUDs)? Part two

479. Why I don’t usually prescribe paroxetine. Part one

480. Why I don’t usually prescribe paroxetine. Part two

481. Why I don’t usually prescribe paroxetine. Part three

482. How to assess persons who are “sensitive to medications.” Part one

483. How to assess persons who are “sensitive to medications.” Part two

484. How to manage a person who is “sensitive to medications”

485. How to start patients on “ridiculously” low doses

486. Final tips on managing patients who are “sensitive to medications”

487. For how long are substances detected in a urine drug screen (UDS)? Part one

488. For how long are substances detected in a urine drug screen (UDS)? Part two

489. What is estimated GFR (eGFR)?

490. Which medications are mostly excreted unchanged and why is this important? Part one

491. Which medications are mostly excreted unchanged and why is this important? Part two

492. We must do more to treat obesity

493. An overview of medications for treatment of obesity

494. Some issues regarding medications for weight loss

495. Medications for treatment of obesity: For how long and next steps

496. Be very careful when switching from one MAO inhibitor to another

497. Two types of MAO and of MAO inhibitors: Part one

498. Two types of MAO and of MAO inhibitors: Part two

499. Two types of MAO and of MAO inhibitors: Part three

500. Can I have cheese or pizza?

501. How about some Chinese food?

502. Tips about the MAO inhibitor diet: Part one

503. Tips about the MAO inhibitor diet: Part two: General principles

504. Tips about the MAO inhibitor diet: Part three: Patient handouts

505. Tips about the MAO inhibitor diet: Part four: Educating patients about the MAOI diet

506. Important instructions regarding MAO inhibitors and other medications

507. What do the stages of chronic kidney disease mean?

508. Bupropion in persons with renal impairment: Part one

509. Bupropion in persons with renal impairment: Part two

510. Tips on Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: Part one

511. Tips on Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: Part two

512. Tips on Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: Part three

513.  Tips on Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: Part four

514.  Tips on Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: Part five

515. Correct answers given in 2 to 3 sentences only (Quiz 15)

516. Tips on dealing with “slips” in recovery: Part one

517. Tips on dealing with “slips” in recovery: Part two

518. Tips on using acamprosate for alcohol use disorder: Part one

519. Tips on using acamprosate for alcohol use disorder: Part two

520. Tips on using acamprosate for alcohol use disorder: Part three

521. Tips on using acamprosate for alcohol use disorder: Part four

522. Can oral contraceptives cause or worsen depression? Part one

523. Can oral contraceptives cause or worsen depression? Part two

524. Can oral contraceptives cause or worsen depression? Part three

525. Omega-3 fatty acids for vegetarian and vegan patients: Part one

526. Omega-3 fatty acids for vegetarian and vegan patients: Part two

527. Which psychotropic medications does cannabis affect? Part one

528. Which psychotropic medications does cannabis affect? Part two

529. Medications from Canadian pharmacies? Part one

530. Medications from Canadian pharmacies? Part two

531. Medications from Canadian pharmacies? Part three

532. Stimulant medications and irritability in children with ADHD: Part one

533. Stimulant medications and irritability in children with ADHD: Part two

534. THREE-question quiz with correct answers in THREE sentences or less (Quiz 16)

535. Transdermal testosterone for hypoactive sexual desire disorder in postmenopausal women: Part one

536. Transdermal testosterone for hypoactive sexual desire disorder in postmenopausal women: Part two

537. Transdermal testosterone for hypoactive sexual desire disorder in postmenopausal women: Part three

538. Which laboratory tests in men with erectile dysfunction?

539. How to reduce the risk of erectile dysfunction–Part one

540. How to reduce the risk of erectile dysfunction–Part two

541. Which PDE-5 inhibitor for erectile dysfunction? Part one

542. Which PDE-5 inhibitor for erectile dysfunction? Part two

543. Which PDE-5 inhibitor for erectile dysfunction? Part three

544. Which PDE-5 inhibitor for erectile dysfunction? Part four

545. Which laboratory tests for persons taking valproate? Part one

546. Which laboratory tests for persons taking valproate? Part two

547. Different preparations of valproate–Part one

548. Different preparations of valproate–Part two

549. Different preparations of valproate–Part three

550. How to differentiate between bipolar I and II, mania and hypomania

551. How to treat bipolar II depression

552. How to treat bipolar disorder with comorbid anxiety

553. How to treat bipolar disorder with comorbid ADHD

554. What to do when a person on lamotrigine develops a rash

555. Carbamazepine/oxcarbazepine for maintenance therapy in bipolar disorders?

556. Second-generation antipsychotics as first-line treatment for bipolar disorders?

557. Long-acting injectable antipsychotics for bipolar disorder?

558. Some options for refractory bipolar depression

559. Tips on managing perimenopausal symptoms. Part one

560. Tips on managing perimenopausal symptoms. Part two

561. Tips on managing perimenopausal symptoms. Part three

562. Tips on managing perimenopausal symptoms. Part four

563. Three quick questions (Quiz 17)

564. Are varenicline (Chantix) and bupropion safe for smoking cessation in persons with mental disorders? Part one

565. Are varenicline (Chantix) and bupropion safe for smoking cessation in persons with mental disorders? Part two

566. Are varenicline (Chantix) and bupropion safe for smoking cessation in persons with mental disorders? Part three

567. Are varenicline (Chantix) and bupropion safe for smoking cessation in persons with mental disorders? Part four

568. Are varenicline (Chantix) and bupropion safe for smoking cessation in persons with mental disorders? Part five

569. Are varenicline (Chantix) and bupropion safe for smoking cessation in persons with mental disorders? Part six

570. Are varenicline (Chantix) and bupropion safe for smoking cessation in persons with mental disorders? Part seven

571. How to refer your patient for TMS. Part one

572. How to refer your patient for TMS. Part two

573. How to refer your patient for TMS. Part three

574. How to refer your patient for TMS. Part four

575. How to identify bipolar disorder. Part one

576. How to identify bipolar disorder. Part two

577. How to identify bipolar disorder. Part three

578. How to identify bipolar disorder. Part four

579. Cognitive domains that we need to evaluate: Complex attention. Part one

580. Cognitive domains that we need to evaluate: Complex attention. Part two

581. Cognitive domains that we need to evaluate: Complex attention. Part three

582. Cognitive domains that we need to evaluate: Complex attention. Part four

583. Cognitive domains: Executive function. Part one

584. Cognitive domains: Executive function. Part two

585. Cognitive domains: Executive function. Part three

586. Cognitive domains: Executive function. Part four

587. How exactly to add aripiprazole for hyperprolactinemia

588. Cognitive domains: Learning and memory. Part one

589. Cognitive domains: Learning and memory. Part two

590. Cognitive domains: Learning and memory. Part three

591. Cognitive domains: Learning and memory. Part four

592. Cognitive domains: Learning and memory. Part five

593. Cognitive domains: Learning and memory. Part six

594. Cognitive domains: Learning and memory. Part seven

595. Cognitive domains: Learning and memory. Part eight

596. Cognitive domains: Learning and memory. Part nine

597. Amphetamine stopped working after keto diet started. Part one

598. Amphetamine stopped working after keto diet started. Part two

599. Clinicians’ guide to screening tests in mental health. Part one

600. Clinicians’ guide to screening tests in mental health. Part two

601. Clinicians’ guide to screening tests in mental health. Part three

602. Clinicians’ guide to screening tests in mental health. Part four

603. Clinicians’ guide to screening tests in mental health. Part five

604. Clinicians’ guide to screening tests in mental health. Part six

605. Clinicians’ guide to screening tests in mental health. Part seven

606. The patient who “demands” TWO antipsychotics

607. Why cut-off scores on screening tests matter to clinicians. Part one

608. Why cut-off scores on screening tests matter to clinicians. Part two

609. Why cut-off scores on screening tests matter to clinicians. Part three

610. Why cut-off scores on screening tests matter to clinicians. Part four

611. The Mood Disorders Questionnaire is being used inappropriately. Part one

612. The Mood Disorders Questionnaire is being used inappropriately. Part two

613. Don’t use screening questionnaires for bipolar disorder

614. Is mirtazapine LESS sedating at higher doses? Part one

615. Is mirtazapine LESS sedating at higher doses? Part two

616. Avoid these three antipsychotics in women with breast cancer

617. Is a beta blocker causing erectile dysfunction in your patient?

618. A beta blocker that may even *improve* erectile dysfunction

619. The pros and cons of the beta blocker nebivolol

620. Should we prescribe emergency medication for hypertensive urgency with MAO inhibitors? Part one

621. Should we prescribe emergency medication for hypertensive urgency with MAO inhibitors? Part two

622. Should we prescribe emergency medication for hypertensive urgency with MAO inhibitors? Part three

623. Should we prescribe emergency medication for hypertensive urgency with MAO inhibitors? Part four

624. Cognitive domains: Language. Part one

625. Cognitive domains: Language. Part two

626. Cognitive domains: Language. Part three

627. Cognitive domains: Language. Part four: Testing Fluency in the MoCA

628. Two types of verbal fluency and how to evaluate them

629. Understanding abnormalities of language: Aphasias

630. Advanced tips on evaluating verbal fluency clinically. Part one

631. When should we consider letter and semantic fluency to be impaired?

632. More tips about evaluating verbal fluency

633. Do you assess semantic advantage in your patients?

634. A phonemic “advantage” is not an advantage–it is a bad sign

635. Why is borderline personality disorder often missed?

636. Why has it been difficult to screen for borderline personality disorder?

637. What would it take to quickly screen for borderline personality disorder?

638. One criterion to screen them all, One criterion to find them

639. How exactly to ask about affective instability

640. What the presence of affective instability does NOT mean

641. In whom is screening for borderline personality disorder most useful?

642. Which diagnoses suggest that we should screen for borderline personality disorder?

643. What is pregabalin (Lyrica) and what does it do?

644. Does pregabalin work for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)?

645. How well does pregabalin work for GADand how does it compare to other medications?

646. Can pregabalin (Lyrica) be added to a serotonergic antidepressant after partial response?

647. What dose of pregabalin should we titrate to for GAD?

648. Which contraceptive after oral-contraceptive-associated depression? Part one

649. Which contraceptive after oral-contraceptive-associated depression? Part two

650. How to judge the quality of a journal. Part one

651. How to judge the quality of a journal. Part two

652. How to judge the quality of a journal. Part three: Journal Impact Factor

653. Three quick questions for you about screening tests (Quiz 18)

654. What is N-acetylcysteine (NAC)?

655. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) for trichotillomania? Part one

656. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) for trichotillomania? Part two

657. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) for Excoriation (skin picking) disorder?

658. Before we recommend NAC, we should know this

659. Tips on how exactly to prescribe NAC

660. Tips on how exactly to prescribe NAC. Part two

661. This is the problem with nicotine replacement treatment

662. Are e-cigarettes effective for smoking cessation?

663. Can e-cigarettes be a stepping stone to quitting cigarettes in the future?

664. Are e-cigarettes recommended for treating tobacco use disorder?

665. Are e-cigarettes recommended for treating tobacco use disorder? Part two

666. What are electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes)?

667. Three generations of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes)

669. More about e-cigarettes and related products

669. Switching to e-cigarettes may increase medication levels. Part one

670. Switching to e-cigarettes may increase medication levels. Part two

671. Thyroid hormones for psychopharmacologists: What’s what

672. Pros and Cons of T3 and T4. Part one

673. Pros and Cons of T3 and T4. Part two

674. No reliable evidence for addition of thyroid hormone to an SSRI

675. What is a failed study?

676. Why do clinical trials sometimes have both a placebo and an active control arm?

677. Summing up: Positive, negative, and failed studies

678. Liothyronine (T3) with an antidepressant: How much? Part one

679. Liothyronine (T3) with an antidepressant: How much? Part two

680. Liothyronine (T3) with an antidepressant: For how long?

681. Can mirtazapine be started at 30 mg per day?

682. Bipolar disorder with rapid cycling: In what percentage of your patients?

683. Who is more likely to develop rapid cycling?

684. Risk factors for rapid cycling: Caveats and what we can do

685. What to do if a patient has bipolar disorder with rapid cycling

686. Which medications for bipolar disorder with rapid cycling?

687. More on what we don’t know about treatment of rapid cycling in bipolar disorder

688. Summing up rapid cycling

689. Why isn’t bupropion the most frequently prescribed antidepressant?

690. Lamotrigine: No additional benefit at 400 mg per day?

691. Is lamotrigine 400 mg per day no more effective than 200 mg per day?

692. Should we consider amantadine for antipsychotic-induced parkinsonism?

693. Advantages and disadvantages of amantadine

694. Some key things about the pharmacology of amantadine

695. How to test for B vitamins in patients with cognitive impairment

696. How to interpret vitamin B12 level and serum methylmalonic acid levels

697. Testing serum or RBC folate levels in patients with cognitive impairment

698. Why homocysteine is important and should be measured

699. Just three quick questions with brief answers (Quiz 19)

700. Shocking data on weight gain and metabolic side effects in adolescents on olanzapine

701. The bottom line on metabolic side effects of olanzapine in adolescents

702. Does weight gain with second-generation antipsychotics continue even after six months?

703. A psychopharmyth about weight gain with second-generation antipsychotics

704. Sundowning in patients with dementia is important!

705. Sundowning or Delirium?

706. Does melatonin work for sundowning in dementia?

707. Lithium-induced hypercalcemia and hyperparathyroidism are common

708. Clinical features of hyperparathyroidism

709. How to screen for lithium-induced hyperparathyroidism

710. Measuring serum calcium and calculating corrected serum calcium

711. How to calculate the corrected serum calcium: a real-life example

712. Corrected serum calcium: The bottom line

713. Summing up: What labs to do and when to screen for lithium-induced hyperparathyroidism

714. Monitoring for metabolic side effects in children and adolescents on a second-generation (atypical) antipsychotic

715. Is measuring BMI at four weeks useful?

716. A simple, free questionnaire for Adult Autism Spectrum Disorder

717. How to score and interpret the Adult Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ)

718. How to screen adults for autism spectrum disorder

719. Is vortioxetine more efficacious than other antidepressants?

720. Should patients with celiac disease worry about gluten in medications?

721. Part 2: Should patients with celiac disease worry about gluten in medications?

722. What else can cause Steven-Johnson Syndrome (SJS)/ Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN)?

723. Do past infections increase the risk of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS)/ Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN)?

724. Vitamin B6 for lithium-induced benign tremor?

725. Vitamin B6 for lithium-induced benign tremor? Part two

726. How common is liver toxicity with disulfiram and when does it occur?

727. When and how often should hepatic function tests be done in patients on disulfiram?

728. Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs)

729. Tips on using the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program

730. L-theanine for anxiety or stress?

731. How is L-theanine used for anxiety and stress responses?

732. What is a “standard” drink?

733. How much alcohol intake is “normal”?

734. What are Binge drinking and Heavy drinking?

735. Summarizing: More than low risk, Binge, and Heavy drinking

736. We should screen every patient for possible alcohol use disorder

737. How exactly to screen patients for possible alcohol use disorder. Part one

738. How exactly to screen patients for possible alcohol use disorder. Part two

739. A mnemonic to help diagnose Restless Legs Syndrome

740. Advanced tips about the urges to move in RLS

741. Important details about Rest, Getting up, and Evenings in RLS

742. E and S: Advanced tips on the diagnostic clinical features of restless legs syndrome (RLS)

743. DSM-5 criteria for restless legs syndrome (RLS): A simple explanation and mnemonic. Part one

744. DSM-5 criteria for restless legs syndrome (RLS): A simple explanation and mnemonic. Part two

745. What is vitamin D? Part one

746. What is vitamin D? Part two

747. Which test to order for vitamin D status

748. How should we define vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency?

749. When and how to treat vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency

750. Quick! Are these statements True or False? (Quiz 20)

751. What is Lewy body dementia?

752. How is neurocognitive disorder with Lewy bodies different from that due to Parkinson’s disease?

753. Why we must be able to recognize Neurocognitive disorder with Lewy bodies

754. Diagnostic criteria for Neurocognitive disorder with Lewy bodies explained

755. How to identify fluctuating cognition

756. How variability in NCD with Lewy bodies differs from that in Alzheimer’s disease

757. We need to differentiate between Neurocognitive disorder with Lewy bodies and delirium

758. How to differentiate NCD with Lewy bodies from delirium

759. NCD with Lewy bodies versus delirium

760. What kinds of psychotic symptoms are present in neurocognitive disorder with Lewy bodies?

761. Explaining spontaneous parkinsonism in Neurocognitive disorder with Lewy bodies

762. REM sleep behavior disorder is important in diagnosing NCD with Lewy bodies

763. How to identify REM sleep behavior disorder in our patients with dementia

764. Marked sensitivity to side effects of antipsychotics in NCD with Lewy bodies

765. What to do about marked sensitivity to side effects of antipsychotics in NCD with Lewy bodies

766. Three benzodiazepines are safer in the elderly and in liver disease

767. Which benzodiazepines for alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS)?

768. Three different approaches to using benzodiazepines for alcohol withdrawal

769. Use the CIWA-Ar to monitor the severity of alcohol withdrawal and to guide treatment

770. How to do symptom-triggered treatment for alcohol withdrawal

771. Fixed-dose regimens for alcohol withdrawal and their advantages

772. Fixed-dose regimens for alcohol withdrawal: Disadvantages and examples

773. A table with key facts about commonly used benzodiazepines

774. We are missing most cases of sleep apnea

775. The STOP-Bang questionnaire and where to get it for free

776. How to monitor for metabolic side effects in adults on second-generation antipsychotics

777. Important points about monitoring for metabolic side effects of second-generation antipsychotics

778. Elevated vitamin B12 levels are common and could be very serious

779. What serious illnesses may be causing an elevated vitamin B12

780. Functional vitamin B12 deficiency can occur even with a high vitamin B12 level

781. How common are the different types of thyroid problems that lithium can cause? (a) Introduction

       How common are the different types of thyroid problems that lithium can cause? (b) Incidence

782. How should lithium-induced hypothyroidism be evaluated?

783. When and how to check antithyroid antibodies in a patient on lithium

784. How to manage lithium-induced hypothyroidism. Part one

785. How to manage lithium-induced hypothyroidism. Part two

786. Past ECT treatment should not be assumed to have been adequate

787. Which factors related to ECT technique are important for adequate treatment?

788. Which factors related to ECT technique are important for adequate treatment? Part two

789. More about adequacy of ECT treatment

790. Mirtazapine is a treatment option for antipsychotic-induced akathisia

791. Mirtazapine for treating akathisia: Two possible clinically-important points

792. Mirtazapine may also CAUSE akathisia

793. True or False? (Quiz 21)

794. What is melatonin and what does it do?

795. Melatonin for insomnia–advantages, efficacy, effects, and a mind-blowing statistic

796. What dose of melatonin to start with and where to get low dose preparations (a)

       What dose of melatonin to start with and where to get low dose preparations (b)

797. Beyond insomnia and sleep apnea: Another type of sleep disorder

798. Many patients with insomnia actually have Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder

799. Pull from both ends to treat Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder

800. Pulling at the other end: Bright light therapy in the morning

801. More on how exactly to treat Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder

802. Next steps in treating Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder

803. How to diagnose SIADH

804. What is BEN and why does it matter to mental health clinicians?

805. E-cigarettes or conventional nicotine-replacement products? Which is more effective?

806. More on e-cigarettes, “smoking replacement,” and “harm reduction”

807. Five reasons why many clinicians sometimes combine a stimulant and atomoxetine

808. Cyproheptadine as-needed to reverse antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction?

809. How exactly to use cyproheptadine for antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction

810. Will mirtazapine increase the risk of QT prolongation? (Member’s case)

811. Can mirtazapine cause QT prolongation and ventricular arrhythmias?

812. Bottom line regarding mirtazapine and QT prolongation

813. Do you give thiamine routinely for the prevention of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome?

814. Problems regarding how thiamine is being prescribed

815. Thiamine for prevention: How much? By what route? How many times a day?

816. THIS is how we should prescribe thiamine to prevent Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome

817. Can I drink while on the antidepressant?

818. It is not a problem but don’t do it???

819. Six types of abnormal reactions to alcohol that may occur in persons taking an antidepressant

820. Two cases where stopping estrogen led to worsening of psychosis

821. Starting or stopping an oral contraceptive (or other estrogen) in a patient on clozapine

822. How is clozapine metabolized?

823. Estrogen and estrogen-containing oral contraceptives affect clozapine levels

824. What does estrogen have to do with schizophrenia??

825. Adjunctive estrogen for schizophrenia?

826. Should we not insist on fasting before getting labs for metabolic monitoring?

827. Should we go ahead and get a non-fasting lipid profile?

828. Easily find patient assistance programs for patients who can’t afford a particular medication

829. Stimulants for ADHD with a history of a substance use disorder?

830. Does this person really have ADHD?

831. History of ADHD: Learn more about what we are looking for

832. Neuropsychological testing for diagnosing ADHD?

833. What is the (limited) role of neuropsychological testing in ADHD or suspected ADHD?

834. Other possible uses of neuropsychological testing in ADHD

835. Can medication X cause side effect Y?

836. “Not a known and common side effect”

837. The Prescribing Information has useful information for prescribers

838. Can buspirone cause dyskinesia or parkinsonism?

839. How to search PubMed efficiently for possible adverse effects

840. How to search PubMed efficiently for possible adverse effects–Part 2

841. I didn’t know about this, did you?

842. Clinical features of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome

843. More clinical features of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome

844. An ingredient from hot peppers is used as a treatment for cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome

845. How exactly to use capsaicin for cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome

846. Acute treatment of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome: General measures

847. Acute treatment of cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome: Specific measures

848. Final words on cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome

849. How often should we check an ECG? Part one

850. How often should we check an ECG? Part two

851. How often should we check an ECG? Part three

852. How often should we check an ECG? Part four

853. True or False? (Quiz 22)

854. What is the optimal serum valproic acid (valproate) level? Part one

855. What is the optimal serum valproic acid (valproate) level? Part two

856. Bupropion for cocaine use disorder? What’s the evidence?

857. Bupropion for cocaine use disorder? What’s the bottom-line?

858. Agitation in Alzheimer’s disease: First, assess for modifiable causes

859. Valproate or quetiapine for agitation in Alzheimer’s disease: Yes or No?

860. Medications for agitation in Alzheimer’s disease: Part one

861. Antipsychotic in a patient with tardive dyskinesia?

862. FDA-cleared is not the same as FDA-approved

863. The FDA has a class system for medical devices

864. Are TMS and Alpha-Stim FDA “approved” or FDA “cleared”?

865. Initial steps in managing lithium-induced hypercalcemia/ hyperparathyroidism

866. Surgery for lithium-induced hyperparathyroidism

867. There is a medication for treating lithium-induced hyperparathyroidism

868. How psychotropic medications cause blurred vision: Part one

869. How psychotropic medications cause blurred vision: Part two

870. How to evaluate blurred vision apparently due to a psychotropic medication

871. Managing diarrhea due to mood stabilizers

872. How to find a cognitive therapist

873. How to measure neck circumference

874. Why do we need an “Apnea-Hypopnea Index”?

875. Apnea-Hypopnea Index for diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea and rating its severity

876. Understanding the proper place of Apnea-Hypopnea Index

877. Does dose reduction work for neuroleptic-induced parkinsonism?

878. Can isotretinoin cause depression or suicidality?

879. Why we can’t easily dismiss the risk of depression or suicidality with isotretinoin

880. What exactly is a “therapeutic window” for nortriptyline?

881. Nortriptyline level: At what dose and after how many days?

882. The timing of nortriptyline trough levels

883. What to do with the nortriptyline level

884. True or False?

885. Do you think that valproate causes PCOS?

886. Valproate and PCOS: What should we do before starting valproate

887. Valproate and PCOS: What we should do during treatment

888. How to find a facility that provides TMS

889. Nausea due to psychotropic medications is more important than we might think

890. Two simple strategies to reduce the risk of nausea

891. It makes a big difference—atomoxetine once a day or twice a day?

892. What dose of aripiprazole as an adjunct for OCD?

893. How to dose aripiprazole as an adjunct for OCD

894. Elevated alkaline phosphatase with normal AST and ALT

895. Metformin for antipsychotic-induced weight gain in children and adolescents?

896. Important tips on using metformin in children and adolescents

897. When and what to do about clozapine and olanzapine after smoking cessation

898. Add clomipramine to an SSRI for OCD?

899. Could it have been a type II error?

900. Adding clomipramine to an SSRI for OCD: Were the treatments adequate?

901. Concerns about combining clomipramine and SSRIs

902. If combining with clomipramine, which SSRIs should we worry the most about?

903. How exactly to add clomipramine to an SSRI

904. What monitoring should be done if clomipramine is added to an SSRI?

905. How to make sleep hygiene interventions more efficient and effective

906. The ONE most effective part of CBT-I that all of us should learn to implement

907. How exactly to do sleep restriction therapy. Part one

908. How exactly to do sleep restriction therapy. Part two

909. How exactly to do sleep restriction therapy. Part three

910. How exactly to do sleep restriction therapy. Part four

911. Can adding buspirone to a serotonergic antidepressant cause serotonin syndrome?

912. Be especially careful when combining buspirone with these two antidepressants

913. Does intermittent use of an antidepressant work for premature ejaculation?

914. Is as-needed treatment of premature ejaculation with a serotonergic antidepressant as effective and as acceptable?

915. Important factors for deciding on as-needed antidepressant for premature ejaculation

916. How do antidepressants increase the risk of bleeding?

917. Which antidepressants in persons at increased risk of bleeding?

918. True or False? (Quiz 24)

919. Dose equivalents for long-acting injectable second-generation antipsychotics

920. How dose equivalents for LAI second-generation antipsychotics were calculated

921. Dose equivalents of LAI second-generation antipsychotics

922. How to diagnose atypical features

923. Four things to look for if atypical features are present

924. A mnemonic for medications metabolized by CYP3A4

925. Another mnemonic—plants and CYP3A4

926. Are oral, irreversible MAOIs the first-line treatment for major depression with atypical features?

927. Atypical depression: Oral irreversible MAOIs or SSRIs?

928. Bupropion first-line for major depressive disorder with atypical features?

929. Stimulants in a patient receiving ketamine/ esketamine?

930. What to do about stimulants during ketamine/esketamine treatment

931. What to do about stimulants after ketamine/esketamine treatment

932. Why is migraine important for mental health clinicians?

933. The four phases of migraine

934. Prodromal phase of migraine

935. Clinical features of the migraine aura

936. The mechanism of migraine aura explains its clinical features

937. Common characteristics of migraine headache

938. Associated symptoms during the headache phase of migraine (a)

       Associated symptoms during the headache phase of migraine (b)

939. Diagnostic criteria for migraine

940. Diagnostic subtypes of migraine

941. Three simple questions help to PIN the diagnosis of migraine

942. Recommend an “aura diary”

943. Where can patients get kosher vitamins and supplements?

944. Complementary and alternative medicines (CAM): Specific kosher products

945. Vitamins and minerals: Specific kosher products

946. Naltrexone-bupropion in a patient on clomipramine?

947. Links to 5 free templates for sleep diaries

948. Some tips on using sleep diaries

949. True or False? (Quiz 25)

950. How to change from gabapentin (Neurontin(R)) to pregabalin (Lyrica(R))

951. Switching between gabapentin and pregabalin: Potential side effects and an illustrative case

952. “Fingerprint” metabolites that uniquely identify substances in a urine drug screen

953. Which TCAs are the most effective ones for MDD?

954. TCA versus TCA for MDD: How BIG were the differences?

955. Which TCAs to consider as first-line options

956. Are any of your patients on topiramate?

957. How to monitor serum bicarbonate for possible metabolic acidosis

958. What is the anion gap and how can we easily calculate it from the lab results?

959. How we can easily calculate the anion gap

960. Important clinical tips on using the anion gap

961. Two types of metabolic acidosis: Examples

962. Some antidepressants may have clinically important interactions with tramadol (Ultram(R))

963. Serious problems that can occur when an antidepressant is combined with tramadol

964. More clinical tips on tramadol and antidepressants

965. Is fluvoxamine more effective for OCD than other SSRIs?

966. What did other sources find about fluvoxamine versus other SSRIs for OCD?

967. Another one bites the dust!

968. Clinical tips on managing Parkinson’s disease psychosis: Part one

969. Clinical tips on managing Parkinson’s disease psychosis: Part two

970. Clinical tips on managing Parkinson’s disease psychosis: Part three

971. Is tardive dyskinesia reversible if the antipsychotic is stopped?

972. Is tardive dyskinesia reversible? Part two

973. Final conclusions on “Is tardive dyskinesia reversible?”

974. Does bupropion treat antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction? Part one

975. Does bupropion treat antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction? Part two

976. Does bupropion treat antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction? Part three

977. Does bupropion treat antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction? Part four

978. How often does antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction resolve spontaneously?

979. MAO inhibitors (MAOIs) and contraindicated medications: How long do we have to wait?

980. How long do we have to wait? Part 2

981. Combination therapy (mood stabilizer plus antipsychotic) for acute mania? Part one

982. Combination therapy (mood stabilizer plus antipsychotic) for acute mania? Part two

983. Combination therapy (mood stabilizer plus antipsychotic) for acute mania? Part three

984. Our advice on combination therapy (mood stabilizer plus antipsychotic) for acute mania

985. Why is dextromethorphan combined with a CYP 2D6 inhibitor?

986. Does new-onset psychosis late in life predict the onset of dementia?

987. Alzheimer’s disease often travels in “mixed company” for acute mania?

988. Behavioral symptoms in dementia that are unlikely to improve with an antipsychotic

989. Avoid these mistakes in using antipsychotics for psychosis in dementia

990. Minimizing caffeine may be helpful in bipolar disorder

991. Four issues about caffeine and bipolar disorder

992. Serious dangers to avoid if it is essential to physically restrain a pregnant woman

993. What to do if it is essential to physically restrain a pregnant woman

994. True or False? (Quiz 26)

995. Why we must identify and characterize psychotic features in manic episodes. Part one

996. Two types of psychotic symptoms in mania

997. Do psychotic symptoms in mania affect the prognosis?

998. Psychotic symptoms in mania affect the treatment plan

999. What to do about cognitive complaints in brief outpatient visits

1000. First, which cognitive domains are impaired and to what extent?

1001. In difficult-to-treat patients, always focus on more evaluation before more treatment trials

1002. Unusually severe difficulties tolerating an antidepressant?

1003. Quetiapine monotherapy for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)?

1004. How well does quetiapine XR monotherapy for GAD work?

1005. Bottom line on quetiapine monotherapy for GAD

1006. Elevated triglycerides are common in mental health patients

1007. Non-medication management of elevated triglycerides

1008. Do you recommend omega-3 fatty acids for hypertriglyceridemia?

1009. Omega-3 fatty acids to lower serum triglycerides can make a HUGE difference

1010. How to elicit what our patients really think about their diagnosis

1011. How to discuss relapse prevention strategies to improve outcomes in bipolar disorder

1012: Specific strategies for relapse prevention in bipolar disorders

1013. A key strategy for for preventing relapse and aborting manic episodes: Part one

1014. A key strategy for for preventing relapse and aborting manic episodes: Part two

1015. Does divalproex (valproate) work for bipolar depression? Part one

1016. Bottom line on the efficacy of divalproex for bipolar depression

1017. Important tips on using divalproex for bipolar depression

1018. Tranylcypromine: Third-line for bipolar depression

1019. True or False? (Quiz 27)

1020. Clock drawing: A simple, brief, but very useful clinical test

1021. How to administer the Clock Drawing Test

1022. More things the Clock Drawing Test can tell us

1023. Stimulus-bound behavior and semantic processing difficulty identified by the Clock Drawing Test

1024. How visual field defects may be identified on the clock drawing test

1025. What errors to look for in the Clock Drawing Test

1026. Final conclusions about the Clock Drawing Test

1027. Do you try to avoid SNRIs in bipolar depression?

1028. Greater risk of switching to mania/hypomania with SNRIs?

1029. Essential details about the Increased risk of switching with SNRIs

1030. Bottom line and Action items regarding SNRIs in bipolar depression

1031. Is ondansetron (brand name Zofran) associated with an increased risk of QT prolongation?

1032. Useful information and guidance about QT prolongation with ondansetron

1033. What if ondansetron is combined with a psychotropic medication?

1034. Final recommendations regarding ondansetron and QT prolongation

1035. How to switch from oral or transdermal selegiline to another MAO inhibitor

1036. What is khat and why is it important in mental health?

1037. Why it is important for all of us to screen for eating disorders

1038. A simple 5-item screen for eating disorders is nothing to SCOFF at

1039. How well does the SCOFF do in screening for eating disorders?

1040. SCOFF: Verbally or in writing? In other languages?

1041. Important additional tips on screening for eating disorders

1042. Here’s a screening questionnaire specifically for binge-eating disorder

1043. How to convert from alprazolam immediate-release to extended-release

1044. Potential advantages of alprazolam extended-release

1045. Does alprazolam extended-release have a lower addictive/ abuse potential?

1046. My recommendations regarding alprazolam extended-release

1047. Does hydroxyzine have advantages over diphenhydramine?

1048. Hydoxyzine versus diphenhydramine: Bottomline and Clinical Recommendations

1049. Bradycardia in a patient with bipolar disorder

1050. Lithium can cause certain benign changes in the ECG, but…

1051. Lithium and ECG changes: What to look for

1052. Six general principles about lithium’s effects on the ECG

1053. Clinical recommendations regarding lithium and ECGs

1054. True or False? (Quiz 28)

1055. Is sertraline safe to use during breastfeeding?

1056. Tips on psychotropic medications during breastfeeding

---

What should be next? What clinically important question do you want SPMH to answer? Post it at the bottom of this page under “Leave a Reply.”

---

***Read why your colleagues are raving about our service**

---

***Click here to become a Member!***

---

Copyright © 2016 to 2019, Rajnish Mago, MD. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced in any form without express written permission.

Disclaimer: The content on this website is provided as general education for medical professionals. It is not intended or recommended for patients or other lay persons, or as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Patients must always consult a qualified health care professional regarding their diagnosis and treatment. Healthcare professionals should always check this website for the most recently updated information.