https://www.psychdb.com/ 2026-07-18T01:17:51-0700 https://www.psychdb.com/ https://www.psychdb.com/lib/tpl/bootstrap3/images/favicon.ico text/html 2021-05-20T18:55:17-0700 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.psychdb.com/meds/1-prescribing?rev=1621562117&do=diff Introduction to Prescribing Medication Primer Medication prescription is cornerstone of psychiatric practice, and indeed for many areas and specialties of medicine. Understanding principles of prescribing and being a thoughtful and careful prescriber is critically important. text/html 2022-01-25T16:11:36-0700 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.psychdb.com/meds/agitation?rev=1643155896&do=diff Pharmacological Management of Acute Behavioural Agitation Primer Acute agitation (a “Code White”) in the medical setting can present as a challenge for both patients and health care providers. When using medications to manage acute agitation, there are several key concepts to consider, including the route of administration, onset of action, absorption, half-life, and the risk of adverse events. text/html 2020-04-30T22:11:52-0700 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.psychdb.com/meds/alpha-1-antagonist-blocker?rev=1588309912&do=diff Alpha-1 Blockers text/html 2024-04-01T22:51:03-0700 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.psychdb.com/meds/cytochrome-p450?rev=1712037063&do=diff Cytochrome (CYP) P450 Metabolism Primer The Cytochrome P450 System (CYP) is a family of heme-containing mono-oxygenases enzymes that detoxify foreign compounds (i.e. - medications and drugs) in the liver. Cytochrome P450 enzymes are responsible for most phase I reactions in the liver. Understanding the role of CYP enzymes is vital in the prescribing of psychotropic medications. text/html 2020-04-30T22:11:52-0700 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.psychdb.com/meds/inpatient-prn-overuse?rev=1588309912&do=diff Inpatient PRN Overuse Primer PRNs (from the Latin pro re nata: for an occasion that has arisen) are a typical prescribing practice in most in-patient psychiatric units. There is limited evidence for the clinical effectiveness of as needed medications. text/html 2025-11-02T18:34:06-0700 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.psychdb.com/meds/measurement-based-care?rev=1762137246&do=diff Measurement-Based Care (MBC) Primer * Substack: Thomas Insel: Measures That Matter * Fortney, J. C., Unützer, J., Wrenn, G., Pyne, J. M., Smith, G. R., Schoenbaum, M., & Harbin, H. T. (2016). A tipping point for measurement-based care. Psychiatric Services, 68(2), 179-188. * Guo, T., Xiang, Y. T., Xiao, L., Hu, C. Q., Chiu, H. F., Ungvari, G. S., ... & Feng, Y. (2015). Measurement-based care versus standard care for major depression: a randomized controlled trial with blind raters. Ameri… text/html 2020-09-09T00:30:33-0700 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.psychdb.com/meds/paradoxical-reactions?rev=1599636633&do=diff Paradoxical Reactions Primer Paradoxical Reactions are an unintended, paradoxical response to a medication. In the case of benzodiazepines, it can result in excessive movements, agitation, talkativeness, impulsivity, irritability, and/or excitement (the opposite of a benzodiazepine's intended effect). The incidence of paradoxical reactions are rare, at less than 1%. However, the text/html 2025-01-13T18:17:47-0700 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.psychdb.com/meds/pharmacogenetics?rev=1736821067&do=diff Pharmacogenetic Testing Primer Pharmacogenetics is the study of inherited genetic differences in drug metabolic pathways which can affect individual responses to drugs, both in terms of therapeutic effect as well as adverse effects. There is increasing interest in trying to use pharmacogenetics to understand which patients will respond best to which psychotropic medications. text/html 2022-02-09T13:41:23-0700 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.psychdb.com/meds/plasma-levels?rev=1644442883&do=diff Drug Plasma Levels Primer Drug Plasma Levels may be helpful to determine if a patient is adherent to medication, or has the appropriate serum levels of medications for a response. Tips * First of all, consider is there a clinically useful assay to measure this drug? text/html 2025-11-04T18:25:05-0700 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.psychdb.com/meds/qtc?rev=1762309505&do=diff QT (QTc) Prolongation and Monitoring Primer QT (QTc) Prolongation is associated with many psychotropic medications (especially antipsychotics) and some are linked to serious ventricular arrhythmias (e.g. - Torsades de Pointes) and sudden cardiac death. The risk of QT prolongation is likely dose-related, but the overall absolute risk is low. ECG monitoring is recommended for all patients on QT-prolonging agents, especially those taking medications long-term. There are few guidelines on the moni… text/html 2020-10-20T17:43:22-0700 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.psychdb.com/meds/tachyphylaxis?rev=1603241002&do=diff Tachyphylaxis Primer Tachyphylaxis is the continued or repeated exposure to a drug that may lead to a weakened pharmacological response. This thought to be due to diminished receptor sensitivity in response to the persistent stimulation by an agonist drug, which produces a diminished pharmacological response. text/html 2022-04-07T13:15:10-0700 Anonymous (anonymous@undisclosed.example.com) https://www.psychdb.com/meds/urine-drug-screen?rev=1649362510&do=diff Urine Drug Screen Primer The Urine Drug Screen (UDS) has several limitations, including only testing for a limited for a number of drugs, plus false positives/negatives are common. There can be a lack of temporal correlation with the UDS result and the clinical presentation. Urine drug screens at one hospital are also not always the same at another site.