I. Basic neuroanatomy and neuropharmacology
II. Antidepressants
A. Tricyclics
B. Serotonin Selective Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRI’s)
C. Newer atypical antidepressants
D. Adjunctive medications
E. Use of combinations
F. Specific data (side effects, half-lives, dosing guidelines, etc.)
G. Useful drug interaction information
H. Patient Profiles
I. Course of treatment (switching, restarting, discontinuation)
III. Anxiolytics
A. Benzodiazepines
B. Beta-blockers
C. Antihistamines
D. Specific data (side effects, half-lives, differential effects)
E. Tolerance, dependence and addiction
F. Patient Profiles
IV. Hypnotics
A. Benzodiazepines
B. Antihistamines
C. Ambien
D. Antidepressants
V. Mood Stabilizers
A. Lithium
B. Anticonvulsants
C. Monitoring and Side Effects
VI. Neuroleptics
A. Conventional vs. Atypical
B. Use as adjuncts in depression, personality disorders, PTSD, etc.
VII. The Psychiatric Consultation
VIII. The Family Physician
Understanding the use, effectiveness, and side effects of psychotropic medications has become an essential part of doing therapy for therapists and counselors alike. Dr. Barry Pierce presents the most recent developments on the most commonly prescribed psychotropic medications focusing on practical and applied issues relevant to outpatient therapy. He covers the basics necessary to understanding the pharmacologic action of medications, the direct clinical effects and side effects of each medication, and the clinical course of treatment for a non-prescribing audience.
Medications which are reviewed in this talk include; Nardil, Parnate, MAOinhibitors, Elavil, imipramine, desipramine, doxepin, Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Luvox, Wellbutrin, Zyban, Effexor, Serzone, Remeron, Ritalin, Dexedrine, Adderal, Lithium, Depakoe, Neurontiin, Tegretol, Topamax, Lamictal, Valium, Xanax, Klonopin, Buspar, Ambien, Sonata, Restoril, Dalmane, Haldol, Thorazine, Mellaril, Navane, Clozapine, Zypreza, Respirdal, Geodon, Seroquel. Special problems covered include anxiety disorders, OCD, PTSD, psychotic disorders and seasonal affective disorder.
Non-prescribing professionals should realize how important and necessary their role is in the process of prescribing and monitoring client medications. Primary care physicians and psychiatrists, whose client contact is often very brief, depend on those doing client therapy to provide diagnostic, behavioral, and affective data to fill in vital parts of the treatment picture. The same is true for monitoring medications, where it is the therapist who has the most frequent, ongoing contact with the client, and can therefore provide important information about medication effectiveness and compliance. Dr. Pierce educates attendees on how to form a collaborative relationship with prescribing MD's, including referral vernacular, client education, medication consultation, follow up, and establishing a team treatment approach.