Quetiapine for schizophrenia: more transparency needed in clinical trial reporting

shutterstock_122223547

Andrew Shepherd reports on a recent systematic review, meta-analysis and reappraisal of Quetiapine for schizophrenia, which concludes that Quetiapine IR has a small beneficial effect on psychotic symptoms, but also leads to weight gain and sedation.

[read the full story...]

CBTp and medication in the treatment of psychosis: summarising the best evidence

shutterstock_158430557

Clive Adams presents a summary of the latest evidence for CBTp and medication in the treatment of psychosis. This blog was published alongside Clive’s talk at the Understanding Psychosis and Schizophrenia conference in Bath on 11 June 2015

[read the full story...]

Promoting smoking cessation in people with schizophrenia

shutterstock_276469196

Meg Fluharty summarises a recent clinical overview of smoking cessation in people with severe mental illness, which provides useful practical advice to clinicians who are trying to help service users with schizophrenia, psychosis and other conditions to quit smoking

[read the full story...]

The more psychotic you are, the more benefit there is in taking antipsychotics

shutterstock_122223547

John Baker reviews a recent participant-level meta-analysis of six placebo-controlled studies, which looks at the initial severity of schizophrenia and the efficacy of antipsychotics including Olanzapine, Risperidone and Amisulpride.

[read the full story...]

Medication versus placebo for anorexia nervosa: antidepressants, antipsychotics and hormonal therapy

shutterstock_47425495

In her debut blog, Nicola Coop summarises a recent meta-analysis looking at the use of antidepressants, antipsychotics and hormonal therapy for people with anorexia nervosa.

[read the full story...]

Prescribing antipsychotics in primary care: new study highlights frequent off-label use

shutterstock_146973512

Josephine Neale reports on a recent cohort study that finds less than half of UK prescriptions for antipsychotics are issued for main licensed conditions (e.g. psychosis or bipolar disorder). The research provides a reminder about the dangers of prescribing antipsychotics to people with dementia.

[read the full story...]

Childhood adversity linked to psychotropic drug use in later life

shutterstock_121428757

Andrew Jones summarises a large Finnish population-based cohort study, which finds that childhood adversities strongly predict the use of psychotropic drugs (such as antidepressants and antipsychotics) in adulthood.

[read the full story...]

Medication for the maintenance treatment of bipolar disorder

shutterstock_162124046

Elena Marcus summarises a recent network meta-analysis published in The Lancet of the comparative efficacy and tolerability of medication for the maintenance treatment of bipolar disorder.

[read the full story...]