Pharmacotherapy

Sequential integration of psychotherapy following response to acute-phase pharmacotherapy was associated with a reduced risk for relapse in patients with major depressive disorder, according to study results published in JAMA Psychiatry.

PTC Therapeutics launched a phase 1 trial in healthy volunteers that will investigate single and multiple ascending doses of PTC518, a therapeutic developed to target the huntingtin protein, according to a press release.

For patients with presbyopia, it depends on factors such as age of the patient or if there is any other pathology.

Small-diameter aperture optics, or as many call it, the pinhole, can increase depth of focus, enhance quality of vision at distance in select patients and mask small refractive errors, whether myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism or presbyopia.

Psychosocial interventions in combination with psychotherapy appeared beneficial for outpatients with bipolar disorder, according to results of a systematic review and component network meta-analysis published in JAMA Psychiatry.

The American Psychiatric Association has released a new evidence-based practice guideline for treating patients with schizophrenia, according to an organization press release.

Certain antidepressants appeared associated with specific birth defects, according to study results published in JAMA Psychiatry.

Addiction treatment best practices should include pharmacotherapy plus cognitive behavioral therapy or another evidence-based therapy, according to results of a systematic review and meta-analysis published in JAMA Network Open.

Women with severe or recurrent depression were more likely to relapse during pregnancy after antidepressant discontinuation, according to results of a systematic review and meta-analysis published in Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

The use of stimulant medications has been an integral aspect for the pharmacotherapy of ADHD for more than 50 years. Numerous published studies have documented their efficacy to reduce symptoms of ADHD in children older than age 4 years. As with any medication, however, adverse effects occur, and these adverse effects must be balanced against the medication’s benefit for each individual patient. The potential for a negative adverse effect on growth from stimulant medications has been discussed in the literature for years.