Psychopharmacology Updates for Prescribers

A review of sexual dysfunction related to psychotropic medications, covering neurobiological mechanisms, prevalence across antidepressant and antipsychotic classes, and genetic risk factors. Practical guidance includes validated assessment tools, medication substitution strategies, off-label antidotes, and approaches to address modifiable contributors.

Does Cobenfy maintain its efficacy and safety after one year of use? Should we reconsider trazodone for depression-associated insomnia despite AASM guidelines? Is antidepressant monotherapy in bipolar I as risky as previously thought? Does inflammation explain treatment resistance in older depressed adults? What risk factors predict stimulant misuse and diversion in ADHD patients?

Why did the FDA approve milsaperidone if it offers no clinical advantage over iloperidone? What does the FDA's removal of the GLP-1 suicidality warning mean for your practice? How does ACOG's updated guidance position zuranolone for severe postpartum depression?

A discussion on long-acting injectable antipsychotics in schizophrenia, covering collaborative decision making, patient engagement strategies, LAI selection, dosing and switching considerations, injection site management, use in pregnancy, and emerging pipeline agents for expanding treatment options.

A practical guide to adjusting addiction pharmacotherapy in patients with significant medical comorbidities. Dr. Sevarino provides evidence-based dosing modifications for naltrexone, buprenorphine, methadone, and disulfiram across liver disease, renal impairment, cardiovascular disease, respiratory conditions, and infectious comorbidities, with integrated care frameworks for complex cases.

When should you taper a benzodiazepine, and how slowly? Does semaglutide reverse metabolic risk in schizophrenia patients on clozapine or olanzapine? Is EPA effective for TRD? Can brief psychotherapy enable safe antidepressant discontinuation? Is a ketogenic diet effective for depression and other psychiatric conditions?

This guide provides a comprehensive overview of buspirone, a 5-HT1A partial agonist approved for generalized anxiety disorder, covering its non-GABAergic mechanism, pharmacokinetics, significant CYP3A4 drug interactions, dosing strategies, side effects, various special population considerations, and clinical positioning as a non-sedating anxiolytic without significant dependence risk.

A guide to management of treatment-resistant OCD, covering proper diagnostic criteria, evidence-based SSRI dosing protocols, systematic augmentation strategies, and advanced interventions such as TMS, DBS, and ablative surgery for refractory cases.

A discussion on catatonia assessment and management, covering diagnostic approaches including the Bush-Francis scale, differentiating catatonia from psychosis and deception, lorazepam challenge protocols, treatment strategies including benzodiazepines and ECT, and relapse prevention.

When should you consider high-dose olanzapine instead of clozapine for treatment-resistant schizophrenia? How effective is aripiprazole augmentation versus switching strategies in older adults with depression? Can GLP-1 receptor agonists elevate lithium levels? Should inflammatory markers guide antidepressant selection? Is adjunctive propranolol effective for panic disorder?

This guide provides a comprehensive review of trazodone, a serotonin antagonist and reuptake inhibitor (SARI) FDA-approved for depression but predominantly prescribed off-label for insomnia, covering its dose-dependent pharmacology, clinical uses, drug interactions, side effects including priapism and QT prolongation, and special population considerations.