Schizophrenia anticonvulsants

The evidence base for clinical decisions based on cost-effectiveness for the affective disorders is less clear than for schizophrenia. In bipolar disorder the primary effectiveness of the mainstay treatments, lithium and anticonvulsant pharmacotherapy, is undergoing considerable revision (Bowden et al, 2000). Until this is clarified, cost-effectiveness studies are probably premature. Nevertheless the cost burden in bipolar disorder is qualitatively similar to that in schizophrenia, with in-patient costs being the primary burden and associated social costs in treated patients. The drug costs are even less than those for schizophrenia. In Chapter 5 John Cookson suggests there is little economic evidence to drive prescribing decisions. The in-patient burden does not seem to have altered with the introduction of lithium. The only drug-related study (Keck et al, 1996) showed an obvious difference in treatment costs only when lithium was compared with sodium valproate. Since these are both cheap drugs this is unlikely to influence clinical decisions. The main question is what impact... 

Another serious side effect of clozapine is a risk of seizures. This mainly occurs at higher doses of the drug, and having a seizure is not necessarily a sufficient reason to stop clozapine permanently. If the clozapine has been especially helpful, an anticonvulsant can be added to protect against further seizures. Valproate (Depakote) may be best in this regard because it not only provides protection from seizures but also may help to relieve some of the symptoms of schizophrenia. Recently, it has become clear that two atypical antipsychotic drugs, clozapine and olanzapine, are associated with an increased risk for the development of type II diabetes. 

In psychiatric practice, chlorpromazine is used in various conditions of psychomotor excitement in patients with schizophrenia, chronic paranoid and also manic-depressive conditions, neurosis, alcohol psychosis and neurosis accompanied by excitement, fear, stress, and insomnia, hi comparison with other neuroleptics, chlorpromazine is unique in that it has an expressed sedative effect. It is sometimes used in anesthesiological practice for potentiating narcosis. It also has moderate anticonvulsant action. The most common synonyms are aminazine, megaphen, largactil, thorazine, prompar, and others. 

Trifluoperazine is one of the most active antipsychotic drugs. A moderate stimulatory effect accompanies the neuroleptic effect. Trifluoperazine is unique in that, patients instead of the usual stiffness and weakness characteristic of phenothazine derivatives, become more lively. This drug has a strong anticonvulsant activity. It is widely used in psychiatry for treating schizophrenia and other mental illnesses. The most common synonyms are mobadid, triftazin, stelazine, cahnazin, and others. 

McElroy SL, Keck PE Jr, Pope EIG Jr, et al Valproate in primary psychiatric disorders literature review and clinical experience in a private psychiatric hospital, in Use of Anticonvulsants in Psychiatry Recent Advances. Edited by McElroy SL, Pope HG Jr. Clifton, NJ, Oxford Health Care, 1988b McElroy SL, Keck PE Jr, Pope HG Jr, et al Valproate in the treatment of rapid-cycling bipolar disorder. J Clin Psychopharmacol 8 275-279, 1988c McElroy SL, Sessain EC, Pope HG Jr, et al Clozapine in the treatment of psychotic mood disorders, schizoaffective disorder and schizophrenia. J Clin Psychiatry 52 411-414, 1991a... 

Addition of a mood stabilizing anticonvulsant such as valproate, carbamazepine, or lamotrigine may be helpful in both schizophrenia and bipolar mania... 

It is indicated in the treatment of depressive episodes associated with bipolar disorder. A combination of an antipsychotic drug and an antidepressant may be useful in some cases, especially in depressed psychotic patients, or in cases of agitated major depression with psychotic features. The first combination antipsychotic/antidepressant (olanza-pine/fluoxetine Symbyax) was recently FDA approved in the United States for treatment of depressive episodes associated with bipolar disorder. However, antidepressants and stimulants are unlikely to reduce apathy and withdrawal in schizophrenia, and they may induce clinical worsening in some cases. Adjunctive addition of lithium or an antimanic anticonvulsant, such as carbamazepine, may add benefit in some psychotic patients with prominent affective, aggressive, or resistant symptoms. 

Antipsychotic drugs commonly have been used empirically to manage manic and psychotic illness in bipolar disorder patients. Indeed, standard neuroleptics are a mainstay of the treatment of acute mania (only chlorpromazine is FDA-approved for this indication, although haloperidol has also been widely used) and for manic episodes that break through prophylactic treatment with LF or an anticonvulsant. However, the older antipsychotics are not used routinely for long-term prophylactic treatment in bipolar disorder because their effectiveness is untested, some may worsen depression, and the risk of tardive dyskinesia in these syndromes may be higher than in schizophrenia. 

Indications Seizure disorders, anticonvulsants, anxiety, tension and insomnia, surgical adjuncts for conscious sedation or amnesia, skeletal muscle spasms or tremors, delirium, schizophrenia as an adjunct, nausea and vomiting induced by chemotherapy, neonatal opiate withdrawal Common drug examples ... 

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