Use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) appears to be associated with longer seizures in patients with epilepsy, confounding basic science results suggesting SSRIs reduce the frequency of epileptic seizures in animal models, according to a study presented here at the American Epilepsy Society (AES) 63rd Annual Meeting.
"What we found was not necessarily a causal relationship, but an association, between SSRI use and longer seizures," study presenter Eugen Trinka, MD, MSc, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria. "Based on our study, we cannot conclude that SSRIs prolong seizures." However, "doctors should use caution in using SSRIs in patients with epilepsy," Dr. Trinka added during his poster presentation held on December 5.
The study found that epilepsy seizures in those on SSRIs lasted a median 132 seconds, compared with 85 seconds in those not using SSRIs.
READ MORE @ DOCTOR;S GUIDEssris,
Showing posts with label epilepsy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label epilepsy. Show all posts
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Friday, October 10, 2008
Millions with mental disorders in the developing world are deprived of necessary treatment and care
More than 75% of people suffering from mental disorders in the developing world receive no treatment or care. A new WHO programme launched today, on World Mental Health Day 2008 highlights the huge treatment gap for a number of mental, neurological and substance use disorders. Across Africa for example, nine out of ten people suffering from epilepsy go untreated, unable to access simple and inexpensive anticonvulsant drugs which cost less than US$5 a year per person.
WHO is now calling on governments, donors and mental health stakeholders to rapidly increase funding and basic mental health services to close this huge treatment gap. The programme, Mental health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP): Scaling up care for mental, neurological and substance use disorders asserts that with proper care, psychosocial assistance and medication, tens of millions could be treated for diseases such as depression, schizophrenia, and epilepsy and begin to lead healthy lives, even where resources are scarce.
“Governments across the world need to see mental health as a vital component of primary health care. We need to change policy and practice. Only then can we get the essential mental health services to the tens of millions in need”, said Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organ.
READ MORE @ WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
WHO is now calling on governments, donors and mental health stakeholders to rapidly increase funding and basic mental health services to close this huge treatment gap. The programme, Mental health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP): Scaling up care for mental, neurological and substance use disorders asserts that with proper care, psychosocial assistance and medication, tens of millions could be treated for diseases such as depression, schizophrenia, and epilepsy and begin to lead healthy lives, even where resources are scarce.
“Governments across the world need to see mental health as a vital component of primary health care. We need to change policy and practice. Only then can we get the essential mental health services to the tens of millions in need”, said Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organ.
READ MORE @ WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
Monday, July 14, 2008
Politics In The Suicide Black Box Decision For Bipolar, Epilepsy Meds
As some of you know, yesterday the FDA's psychopharmacology advisory committee declined to approve the FDA's recommendation that a black box warning be added to 11 anti-seizure drugs used to treat bipolar disorder and epilepsy. I've not seen a lot of press on the decision yet, so the committee's reasoning is not clear to me, but you can glean a bit from this early piece by the Dow Jones News Service:
"Panel members raised concerns about the unintended consequences of adding a black-box warnings to epilepsy [drugs], saying such a move would make doctors wary of prescribing the drugs.
"Panel member Sean Hennessy, a doctor, said he thinks there should be an additional warning on epilepsy drug labels, but added the FDA's analysis shows suicidal risks are 'modest.'
"'To me (the data) says there ought to be a warning, but given what we know about the effects on prescribing, I don't know if they rise to the level of a black box,' Hennessy said.
"GlaxoSmithKline Plc's (GSK) Jack Modell, vice president of clinical development, said his company believes additional warnings should be included on the label. An FDA analysis showed that Glaxo's epilepsy drug Lamictal had a higher increased risk of suicidal behavior and suicidal thoughts than other drugs."
READ MORE @ FURIOUS SEASONS (PHILIP DAWDY)
"Panel members raised concerns about the unintended consequences of adding a black-box warnings to epilepsy [drugs], saying such a move would make doctors wary of prescribing the drugs.
"Panel member Sean Hennessy, a doctor, said he thinks there should be an additional warning on epilepsy drug labels, but added the FDA's analysis shows suicidal risks are 'modest.'
"'To me (the data) says there ought to be a warning, but given what we know about the effects on prescribing, I don't know if they rise to the level of a black box,' Hennessy said.
"GlaxoSmithKline Plc's (GSK) Jack Modell, vice president of clinical development, said his company believes additional warnings should be included on the label. An FDA analysis showed that Glaxo's epilepsy drug Lamictal had a higher increased risk of suicidal behavior and suicidal thoughts than other drugs."
READ MORE @ FURIOUS SEASONS (PHILIP DAWDY)
Friday, July 11, 2008
Risks of Suicidal Ideation and Behavior with Epilepsy Drugs Reaffirmed
All epilepsy drugs should carry a warning -- not necessarily boxed -- about increased risks for suicidal ideation and behavior, a joint meeting of two FDA committees concluded here.
In January, the FDA released results of an analysis that found almost double the risk of suicidality with the use of 11 drugs used to treat epilepsy or psychiatric conditions. (See: FDA Finds Suicidal Behavior in Studies of 11 Epilepsy Drugs)
Today, a joint meeting of the FDA's Peripheral and Central Nervous System Drugs Advisory Committee and the Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee voted overwhelmingly in favor of the agency's conclusions that the finding of increased risk should apply not only to all of the drugs in the analysis, but to all anticonvulsants currently on the market.
The committees also voted to describe the risks in a medication guide that would be handed out to patients who were prescribed the drugs.
However, the idea of including a black box warning on the drugs was rejected. Committee members feared that such a warning would discourage physicians from appropriately prescribing the drugs to those who need them.
READ MORE @ MEDPAGE TODAY
In January, the FDA released results of an analysis that found almost double the risk of suicidality with the use of 11 drugs used to treat epilepsy or psychiatric conditions. (See: FDA Finds Suicidal Behavior in Studies of 11 Epilepsy Drugs)
Today, a joint meeting of the FDA's Peripheral and Central Nervous System Drugs Advisory Committee and the Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee voted overwhelmingly in favor of the agency's conclusions that the finding of increased risk should apply not only to all of the drugs in the analysis, but to all anticonvulsants currently on the market.
The committees also voted to describe the risks in a medication guide that would be handed out to patients who were prescribed the drugs.
However, the idea of including a black box warning on the drugs was rejected. Committee members feared that such a warning would discourage physicians from appropriately prescribing the drugs to those who need them.
READ MORE @ MEDPAGE TODAY
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