The Journal of clinical psychiatry
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Ondansetron is a 5-HT₃ receptor antagonist that has been approved for the prevention of nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery. Ondansetron has also been studied in the treatment of many neuropsychiatric and medical conditions. The drug is commonly used off-label to treat nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) and hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). ⋯ Nevertheless, even if ondansetron is causally implicated in MCM risk, the absolute increase in risk, such as for orofacial clefts (by 0.03%) and ventricular septal defect (by 0.3%), is small. These small risks should be balanced against the risks associated with inadequately treated NVP/HG, and decision-making must be shared between clinician and patient. Repeated fetal scanning during the second trimester can help in the early detection of malformations, if present.
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Intravenous (IV) ketamine has rapid and robust antidepressant effects; however, poor accessibility of the IV route often limits its use. Numerous alternative routes of administration are being investigated. Oral ketamine is particularly appealing for its ease of use with the potential for high accessibility. The objective of the current systematic review, in accordance with PRISMA, is to determine the efficacy, safety, tolerability, and dose range of oral ketamine for bipolar and unipolar depression. ⋯ A small number of clinical studies assessed the antidepressant effects of oral ketamine. Initial results suggest that oral ketamine has significant antidepressant effects with good overall tolerability; however, antidepressant effects are not as rapid as those associated with IV ketamine. Antisuicide effects and efficacy in treatment-resistant depression have yet to be demonstrated. Additional well-designed RCTs are warranted.
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This comprehensive literature review summarizes reports on emergency department (ED) use by youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ⋯ This review found significant gaps in the literature related to ED service use by youth with ASD. More research is needed to avoid unnecessary ED utilization and hospitalization, reduce medical costs, and improve outcome for youth with ASD.
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Ketamine is a racemic mixture of the enantiomers R-ketamine and S-ketamine (esketamine). S-ketamine has greater analgesic and anesthetic effects than R-ketamine and is less likely to cause psychotomimetic and other adverse effects. There is therefore an emerging interest favoring the use of S-ketamine over racemic ketamine when the drug is used for analgesia or anesthesia. ⋯ Animal data suggest potential advantages for R-ketamine over S-ketamine. Case reports, case series, and some small randomized controlled trials suggest that single or repeated intravenous infusions (0.2-0.4 mg/kg) or intranasal administrations (28-84 mg) of S-ketamine have antidepressant action in patients with medication-refractory depression and that the observed benefits are similar in magnitude to the antidepressant benefits reported with racemic ketamine. However, there are no direct comparisons between S-ketamine and either R-ketamine or racemic ketamine in depressed patients; therefore, it is not possible to make an informed choice when considering the enantiomers and the racemate for the indication of depression.
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To summarize the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) review of the safety and effectiveness for pimavanserin, an atypical antipsychotic, for the treatment of hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson's disease psychosis. We describe the regulatory and clinical issues important to the FDA's approval of this New Drug Application, with special focus on the risk-benefit balance. We also describe a new labeling feature that presents additional efficacy data to clinicians. ⋯ Pimavanserin is the only FDA-approved treatment for the hallucinations and delusions seen in patients with psychosis of Parkinson's disease. Although pimavanserin appears to have a pharmacologic mechanism that is different from other atypical antipsychotics, concern remained that the increased risk of death seen with antipsychotic use in elderly demented patients, and described in all approved antipsychotic labels, would also occur with pimavanserin. Pimavanserin bears the same boxed warning about the risk of death associated with antipsychotic use in elderly patients with dementia.