Pharmacology education for healthcare professionals
Articles, animations, mnemonics and lecture slides on drug mechanisms, pharmacokinetics and clinical pharmacology. Browse all topics or start with the latest posts.
Mania in Bipolar Disorder: A New Patient Guide
A new article for patients on mania has been published on the Psych Education website. Mania, defined by extreme energy levels and fluctuating emotions, can cause considerable disruptions in a patient’s life. This article translates the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for mania into layman’s terms, useful for patients unfamiliar with the medical terminology. The article includes
New Article: Fluvoxamine Practical Guide
The Psychopharmacology Institute has published an essential guide for prescribers on the use of fluvoxamine. Below some key points. Check out the full guide for more details on using fluvoxamine in your practice: Fluvoxamine Practical Guide: Pharmacology, Indications, Dosing Guidelines, and Adverse Effects
New Article: Fluoxetine Pharmacology and Practical Prescribing Guide
A new fluoxetine prescribing guide has just been published at the Psychopharmacology Institute. This comprehensive article reviews the pharmacology, indications, dosing, side effects, and special considerations for using fluoxetine. Key points: Fluoxetine Practical Guide: Pharmacology, Indications, Dosing Guidelines and Adverse Effects
A Deep Dive into Citalopram and Escitalopram
The Psychopharmacology Institute has recently published a comprehensive article on citalopram and escitalopram. This article is a must-read for clinicians who want to deepen their understanding of these two commonly prescribed antidepressants. Some pearls extracted from the article: Here’s what you can expect to learn: Citalopram and Escitalopram: A Summary of Key Differences and Similarities
New Psychiatry and Psychopharmacology Podcast
Our partners at the Psychopharmacology Institute have recently released a podcast discussing psychiatry and psychopharmacology updates. We are sure you will find this useful, the episodes are very well edited and to the point. Click one of the links below to subscribe : Apple podcasts Google podcasts Stitcher Spotify RSS (other podcasting apps)
New Psychiatry Guidelines: Bipolar Disorder
The Psychopharmacology Institute has created a compilation of guidelines on bipolar disorder. This includes guidelines from: NICE, BAP, WFSBP and CANMAT. Find more here: Bipolar Disorder Treatment Guidelines
New Depot Antipsychotics
New long-acting (depot) antipsychotics were approved in 2015: Aristada and Invega Trinza. This practical guide from the Psychopharmacology Institute summarizes the essentials for prescribers. Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics: A Practical Guide for Prescribers 1 Advantages and disadvantages of long-acting antipsychotics 1.1 Potential advantages 1.2 Potential disadvantages 2 Clinical questions answered 3 Tables summarizing individual agents 3.1
Methylphenidate in ADHD: Psychopharmacology
Dr. Flavio Guzman, from the Psychopharmacology Institute, recently published a new multimedia tutorial on the mechanism of action and formulations of methylphenidate. Here is the outline for the tutorial: 1 Mechanism of action 1.1 The prefrontal cortex and the role of NE and DA in ADHD 1.2 Methylphenidate inhibits the reuptake of NE and DA 2
Pharmacotherapy of OCD: Interview
First-line treatments of OCD often fail. This means that for some patients, a single SSRI at optimal doses is not enough to achieve remission. In this new Psychopharmacology Institute podcast, Dr. Guzman interviews expert psychiatrist Dr. David Veale on treatment resistant-OCD. It’s interesting to learn about the role of clomipramine in the treatment algorithm. Outline Practical
Citalopram and Escitalopram compared
There are significant differences between these two SSRIs. The FDA warned about the risk of QT prolongation with high doses of citalopram, but not escitalopram. Dosing is different too. To learn more about these similarities and differences check the following video published at the Psychopharmacology Institute website: Citalopram and Escitalopram: A Summary of Key Differences and Similarities
Benzodiazepines mechanism of action
Benzodiazepines and GABA receptors: an animation on their mechanism of action Gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) is an inhibiting neurotransmitter that is present on human brains. As shown in the animation, gamma amino butyric acid promotes opening of a postsynaptic receptor, the GABA-A receptor. This opening leads to a increased conductance to cloride ions, which
New videos: opioid receptors
Click here to view our latest video lecture on opioid receptors. This lecture discusses the following topics: General classification Cellular actions of opioid receptors Anatomical distribution and physiologic effects of mu, delta and kappa receptors Agonists and antagonists ORL-1 receptors Opioid receptors
Video: Side effects of SSRIs
The following video is a short overview on the pharmacological basis of SSRIs side effects. Outline: Facts about SSRIs adverse effects. Gastrointestinal adverse effects. 5-HT3 and 5-HT4 receptors in the GI tract. 5-HT3 receptors in the brainstem and hypothalamus. CNS adverse effects. 5-HT2A receptor stimulation at the basal ganglia. 5-HT2A and 2C receptors are hypothetically
Therapeutic index
Therapeutic index explained through graphs. List of narrow therapeutic index drugs
Glutamate receptors
Overview of ionotropic (NMDA, AMPA, Kainate) and metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR).