Newer Schizophrenia drugs risk still unknown

[Guest guest]

http://society.guardian.co.uk/mentalhealth/story/0,,1275219,00.html

Schizophrenia drugs risk still unknown

Press Association

Wednesday August 4, 2004

Not enough is known about the side-effects of a new generation of

drugs used

to treat patients with schizophrenia, according to research

published today.

There is an urgent need to do more research on possible adverse side-

effects

of so-called " atypical " antipsychotics, which over the past decade

have become

the first choice treatment for schizophrenia, warned a report in the

Drug and

Therapeutics Bulletin (DTB).

The report said more clinical trials were needed to adequately

assess the

unwanted side-effects of the eight different atypical antipsychotics

available

in

the UK.

The DTB said this was especially the case for side-effects such as

weight

gain, the development or worsening of diabetes and harmful changes

in blood

cholesterol levels, which could increase the risk of heart attack,

stroke or

circulatory disease.

It added that gaps in the research makes it extremely difficult for

doctors

to assess which drug would best suit their patient.

" To enable clinicians to offer reliable advice, there is a clear

need for

appropriate clinical trials to clarify differences between currently

available

drugs, " the researchers recommended.

" This need is particularly urgent, since the increasing use of

atypical

antipsychotics has demonstrated that they can cause or worsen several

potentially

harmful problems. "

The report said that clozapine was the most effective of the eight

new

antipsychotics, but was only used when the patient was not

responding to other

drugs, because it could lower the white blood cell count.

The DTB calls for patients to always be started on a lower dose of

the

atypical antipsychotics to minimise the risk of experiencing adverse

side-effects.

It states this is particularly important among vulnerable groups,

such as

children and the elderly.

Ike Iheanacho, acting editor of DTB, said there was emerging

evidence that

some atypical antipsychotics can cause weight gain, worsen diabetes

and raise

cholesterol levels. "

He said: " In order to determine which are the least likely to cause

such

side-effects in individual patients, appropriate clinical trials to

clarify

differences between these drugs are urgently needed. "

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice), the government

watchdog which decides what treatments should be available on the

NHS, has

recommended that atypical antipsychotics be prescribed where older

drugs are

causing

unacceptable side-effects to the patient.

Compared with the traditional drugs, atypical antipsychotics are

much less

likely to cause the most distressing side-effects, especially

involuntary muscle

movements and symptoms resembling Parkinson's disease.

[Guest guest]

Atypical antipsychotics, the new SSRIs. Everyone who sees a shrink

should take one.......along with their amphetamines and SSRIs. One

pill after another to treat the adverse side effects of the previous

medication.

Am I getting too cynical?

>

>

>

>

> http://society.guardian.co.uk/mentalhealth/story/0,,1275219,00.html

>

> Schizophrenia drugs risk still unknown

>

> Press Association

> Wednesday August 4, 2004

>

> Not enough is known about the side-effects of a new generation of

> drugs used

> to treat patients with schizophrenia, according to research

> published today.

>

> There is an urgent need to do more research on possible adverse

side-

> effects

> of so-called " atypical " antipsychotics, which over the past decade

> have become

> the first choice treatment for schizophrenia, warned a report in the

> Drug and

> Therapeutics Bulletin (DTB).

>

> The report said more clinical trials were needed to adequately

> assess the

> unwanted side-effects of the eight different atypical antipsychotics

> available

> in

> the UK.

>

> The DTB said this was especially the case for side-effects such as

> weight

> gain, the development or worsening of diabetes and harmful changes

> in blood

> cholesterol levels, which could increase the risk of heart attack,

> stroke or

> circulatory disease.

>

> It added that gaps in the research makes it extremely difficult for

> doctors

> to assess which drug would best suit their patient.

>

> " To enable clinicians to offer reliable advice, there is a clear

> need for

> appropriate clinical trials to clarify differences between currently

> available

> drugs, " the researchers recommended.

>

> " This need is particularly urgent, since the increasing use of

> atypical

> antipsychotics has demonstrated that they can cause or worsen

several

> potentially

> harmful problems. "

>

> The report said that clozapine was the most effective of the eight

> new

> antipsychotics, but was only used when the patient was not

> responding to other

> drugs, because it could lower the white blood cell count.

>

> The DTB calls for patients to always be started on a lower dose of

> the

> atypical antipsychotics to minimise the risk of experiencing adverse

> side-effects.

> It states this is particularly important among vulnerable groups,

> such as

> children and the elderly.

>

> Ike Iheanacho, acting editor of DTB, said there was emerging

> evidence that

> some atypical antipsychotics can cause weight gain, worsen diabetes

> and raise

> cholesterol levels. "

>

> He said: " In order to determine which are the least likely to cause

> such

> side-effects in individual patients, appropriate clinical trials to

> clarify

> differences between these drugs are urgently needed. "

>

> The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice), the

government

> watchdog which decides what treatments should be available on the

> NHS, has

> recommended that atypical antipsychotics be prescribed where older

> drugs are

> causing

> unacceptable side-effects to the patient.

>

> Compared with the traditional drugs, atypical antipsychotics are

> much less

> likely to cause the most distressing side-effects, especially

> involuntary muscle

>

> movements and symptoms resembling Parkinson's disease.

[Guest guest]

Atypical antipsychotics, the new SSRIs. Everyone who sees a shrink

should take one.......along with their amphetamines and SSRIs. One

pill after another to treat the adverse side effects of the previous

medication.

Am I getting too cynical?

>

>

>

>

> http://society.guardian.co.uk/mentalhealth/story/0,,1275219,00.html

>

> Schizophrenia drugs risk still unknown

>

> Press Association

> Wednesday August 4, 2004

>

> Not enough is known about the side-effects of a new generation of

> drugs used

> to treat patients with schizophrenia, according to research

> published today.

>

> There is an urgent need to do more research on possible adverse

side-

> effects

> of so-called " atypical " antipsychotics, which over the past decade

> have become

> the first choice treatment for schizophrenia, warned a report in the

> Drug and

> Therapeutics Bulletin (DTB).

>

> The report said more clinical trials were needed to adequately

> assess the

> unwanted side-effects of the eight different atypical antipsychotics

> available

> in

> the UK.

>

> The DTB said this was especially the case for side-effects such as

> weight

> gain, the development or worsening of diabetes and harmful changes

> in blood

> cholesterol levels, which could increase the risk of heart attack,

> stroke or

> circulatory disease.

>

> It added that gaps in the research makes it extremely difficult for

> doctors

> to assess which drug would best suit their patient.

>

> " To enable clinicians to offer reliable advice, there is a clear

> need for

> appropriate clinical trials to clarify differences between currently

> available

> drugs, " the researchers recommended.

>

> " This need is particularly urgent, since the increasing use of

> atypical

> antipsychotics has demonstrated that they can cause or worsen

several

> potentially

> harmful problems. "

>

> The report said that clozapine was the most effective of the eight

> new

> antipsychotics, but was only used when the patient was not

> responding to other

> drugs, because it could lower the white blood cell count.

>

> The DTB calls for patients to always be started on a lower dose of

> the

> atypical antipsychotics to minimise the risk of experiencing adverse

> side-effects.

> It states this is particularly important among vulnerable groups,

> such as

> children and the elderly.

>

> Ike Iheanacho, acting editor of DTB, said there was emerging

> evidence that

> some atypical antipsychotics can cause weight gain, worsen diabetes

> and raise

> cholesterol levels. "

>

> He said: " In order to determine which are the least likely to cause

> such

> side-effects in individual patients, appropriate clinical trials to

> clarify

> differences between these drugs are urgently needed. "

>

> The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice), the

government

> watchdog which decides what treatments should be available on the

> NHS, has

> recommended that atypical antipsychotics be prescribed where older

> drugs are

> causing

> unacceptable side-effects to the patient.

>

> Compared with the traditional drugs, atypical antipsychotics are

> much less

> likely to cause the most distressing side-effects, especially

> involuntary muscle

>

> movements and symptoms resembling Parkinson's disease.

[Guest guest]

Atypical antipsychotics, the new SSRIs. Everyone who sees a shrink

should take one.......along with their amphetamines and SSRIs. One

pill after another to treat the adverse side effects of the previous

medication.

Am I getting too cynical?

>

>

>

>

> http://society.guardian.co.uk/mentalhealth/story/0,,1275219,00.html

>

> Schizophrenia drugs risk still unknown

>

> Press Association

> Wednesday August 4, 2004

>

> Not enough is known about the side-effects of a new generation of

> drugs used

> to treat patients with schizophrenia, according to research

> published today.

>

> There is an urgent need to do more research on possible adverse

side-

> effects

> of so-called " atypical " antipsychotics, which over the past decade

> have become

> the first choice treatment for schizophrenia, warned a report in the

> Drug and

> Therapeutics Bulletin (DTB).

>

> The report said more clinical trials were needed to adequately

> assess the

> unwanted side-effects of the eight different atypical antipsychotics

> available

> in

> the UK.

>

> The DTB said this was especially the case for side-effects such as

> weight

> gain, the development or worsening of diabetes and harmful changes

> in blood

> cholesterol levels, which could increase the risk of heart attack,

> stroke or

> circulatory disease.

>

> It added that gaps in the research makes it extremely difficult for

> doctors

> to assess which drug would best suit their patient.

>

> " To enable clinicians to offer reliable advice, there is a clear

> need for

> appropriate clinical trials to clarify differences between currently

> available

> drugs, " the researchers recommended.

>

> " This need is particularly urgent, since the increasing use of

> atypical

> antipsychotics has demonstrated that they can cause or worsen

several

> potentially

> harmful problems. "

>

> The report said that clozapine was the most effective of the eight

> new

> antipsychotics, but was only used when the patient was not

> responding to other

> drugs, because it could lower the white blood cell count.

>

> The DTB calls for patients to always be started on a lower dose of

> the

> atypical antipsychotics to minimise the risk of experiencing adverse

> side-effects.

> It states this is particularly important among vulnerable groups,

> such as

> children and the elderly.

>

> Ike Iheanacho, acting editor of DTB, said there was emerging

> evidence that

> some atypical antipsychotics can cause weight gain, worsen diabetes

> and raise

> cholesterol levels. "

>

> He said: " In order to determine which are the least likely to cause

> such

> side-effects in individual patients, appropriate clinical trials to

> clarify

> differences between these drugs are urgently needed. "

>

> The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice), the

government

> watchdog which decides what treatments should be available on the

> NHS, has

> recommended that atypical antipsychotics be prescribed where older

> drugs are

> causing

> unacceptable side-effects to the patient.

>

> Compared with the traditional drugs, atypical antipsychotics are

> much less

> likely to cause the most distressing side-effects, especially

> involuntary muscle

>

> movements and symptoms resembling Parkinson's disease.

[Guest guest]

Atypical antipsychotics, the new SSRIs. Everyone who sees a shrink

should take one.......along with their amphetamines and SSRIs. One

pill after another to treat the adverse side effects of the previous

medication.

Am I getting too cynical?

>

>

>

>

> http://society.guardian.co.uk/mentalhealth/story/0,,1275219,00.html

>

> Schizophrenia drugs risk still unknown

>

> Press Association

> Wednesday August 4, 2004

>

> Not enough is known about the side-effects of a new generation of

> drugs used

> to treat patients with schizophrenia, according to research

> published today.

>

> There is an urgent need to do more research on possible adverse

side-

> effects

> of so-called " atypical " antipsychotics, which over the past decade

> have become

> the first choice treatment for schizophrenia, warned a report in the

> Drug and

> Therapeutics Bulletin (DTB).

>

> The report said more clinical trials were needed to adequately

> assess the

> unwanted side-effects of the eight different atypical antipsychotics

> available

> in

> the UK.

>

> The DTB said this was especially the case for side-effects such as

> weight

> gain, the development or worsening of diabetes and harmful changes

> in blood

> cholesterol levels, which could increase the risk of heart attack,

> stroke or

> circulatory disease.

>

> It added that gaps in the research makes it extremely difficult for

> doctors

> to assess which drug would best suit their patient.

>

> " To enable clinicians to offer reliable advice, there is a clear

> need for

> appropriate clinical trials to clarify differences between currently

> available

> drugs, " the researchers recommended.

>

> " This need is particularly urgent, since the increasing use of

> atypical

> antipsychotics has demonstrated that they can cause or worsen

several

> potentially

> harmful problems. "

>

> The report said that clozapine was the most effective of the eight

> new

> antipsychotics, but was only used when the patient was not

> responding to other

> drugs, because it could lower the white blood cell count.

>

> The DTB calls for patients to always be started on a lower dose of

> the

> atypical antipsychotics to minimise the risk of experiencing adverse

> side-effects.

> It states this is particularly important among vulnerable groups,

> such as

> children and the elderly.

>

> Ike Iheanacho, acting editor of DTB, said there was emerging

> evidence that

> some atypical antipsychotics can cause weight gain, worsen diabetes

> and raise

> cholesterol levels. "

>

> He said: " In order to determine which are the least likely to cause

> such

> side-effects in individual patients, appropriate clinical trials to

> clarify

> differences between these drugs are urgently needed. "

>

> The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice), the

government

> watchdog which decides what treatments should be available on the

> NHS, has

> recommended that atypical antipsychotics be prescribed where older

> drugs are

> causing

> unacceptable side-effects to the patient.

>

> Compared with the traditional drugs, atypical antipsychotics are

> much less

> likely to cause the most distressing side-effects, especially

> involuntary muscle

>

> movements and symptoms resembling Parkinson's disease.