Psychopharmacology Updates for Prescribers

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.

A discussion on lithium dosing and side effect management in bipolar disorder, covering therapeutic levels, renal protection strategies, weight gain mechanisms, nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, cognitive effects, tremor differentiation, and dermatologic complications with practical solutions for clinical challenges.

A comprehensive series on bipolar depression covering subtypes, assessment tools, and evidence-based treatments. Topics include lithium, lamotrigine, atypical antipsychotics, and off-label options like pramipexole and light therapy.

What are the six key tips for switching oral antipsychotics? Does deprescribing antipsychotics after delirium improve outcomes in older adults? Why is xylazine overdose difficult to treat? What does the PAX-D study reveal about pramipexole for depression? Do bioequivalent medications always produce equivalent clinical results?

This guide provides a comprehensive overview of 2025's key regulatory and guideline updates in psychiatry, covering new FDA approvals, label changes, and practice guidelines across depression, schizophrenia, addiction, neurocognitive disorders, and neurodevelopmental conditions, emphasizing practical implementation considerations for clinicians.

A discussion on pharmacological approaches to eating disorders, covering medication selection and management strategies for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. Key topics include olanzapine for weight restoration, fluoxetine for bulimia, lisdexamfetamine and topiramate considerations.

A review of drug-induced movement disorders and cognitive side effects from psychotropic medications. The presentation covers diagnostic criteria, management strategies, and evidence-based treatments for akathisia, extrapyramidal symptoms, tardive dyskinesia, and medication-induced tremors.

Can ondansetron improve negative symptoms in schizophrenia? Will lithium orotate prevent or reverse Alzheimer's disease? What predicts treatment response in bipolar disorder? Should we increase SSRI doses or try alternative strategies for inadequate response? Is trazodone safe for treating insomnia in alcohol use disorder?