From weight gain to heart rhythm changes, sexual dysfunction to sleep problems — the physical side effects of psychiatric drugs are vast, complex, and often overlooked. This blog distils key insights from a new Lancet Commission published today; to help clinicians and patients make safer, more informed prescribing decisions.
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Eleanor Dawkins explores a new review and meta-analysis suggesting that cognitive impairment is linked with anticholinergic medication in psychosis, providing grounds for more careful monitoring and review of medications.
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Mary Butler explores a recent randomised controlled trial of probiotic formulations for patients with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia spectrum disorder.
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This Swedish cohort study, blogged by Duncan Swiffen, is yet more evidence for lithium as an excellent treatment for people with bipolar disorder. This time it comes out on top in terms of preventing depression-related hospitalisation.
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Kirsten Lawson and Douglas Badenoch review the new randomised controlled trial by Cleare et al, published today in The Lancet Psychiatry, directly comparing the clinical and cost effectiveness of lithium and quetiapine as augmentation treatments for patients with ‘treatment resistant depression’.
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Shuichi Suetani and Sarah Thomas highlight new research from Korea which suggests that antipsychotic medications do seem to help reduce the relapse of schizophrenia in pregnant women.
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Nuala Murray explores a recent Australian case-control study that looks at the associations between changes in gut microbiota and schizophrenia diagnosis, treatment resistance, and clozapine response.
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Flo Martin summarises a recent umbrella review which finds that we still have limited knowledge about the safety of psychotropic drug use in pregnancy.
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Ana Veic looks at an updated systematic review which suggests that patients with psychosis display cognitive difficulties very early in the disease process, and concludes this variation in cognitive function should prompt individual clinical assessments to optimise care.
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A group of MSc students from UCL summarise a study examining the links between antipsychotics, risk of violent crimes and suicidal behaviour in people diagnosed with a ‘personality disorder’.
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