Archives

New atypical neuroleptics, recently named "antipsychotic drugs of second generation", are continually studied and compared in terms of their clinical action specificity as well as their undesirable side effects. Consequently, the body of knowledge about these drugs is growing, and results of their side effects evaluation allow to revise the existing opinions about safety of these, as well as other, traditional psychotropic drugs administration. This pertains especially to the so-called silent symptoms, until quite recently regarded as an indispensable side effect of treatment. Data on frequency and clinical consequences of side effects of antipsychotic drugs, above all, of second generation, are summarized in the paper. Particular drugs differ as regards the risk of side effects.
On these grounds the principles of monitoring and the choice of treatment can be specified more precisely.

The routine EEG of 301 schizophrenics during psychopharmacotherapy (156 females and 145 males and 129 (56 females and 73 males) untreated patients were analysed. The number of EEG abnormalities in treated vs untreated patients, females vs males, treated females vs males as well as untreated females vs males were compared using chi2-test. We found more EEG abnormalities in treated and untreated females as well as greater increase of EEG abnormalities in males during psychopharmacotherapy.

 The paper outlines pharmacological characteristics and clinical action of Amisulpryde, a second-generation antipsychotic drug recently registered in Poland. Atypical pharmacological properties of Amisulpryde and results of clinical trials in which its action was compared to that of Haloperidol, Flupentixol and Risperidone indicate its usefulness in schizophrenia, both acute and residual. Amisulpryde is the only antipsychotic drug whose effectiveness was evaluated with reference to primary negative symptoms in schizophrenia. Research findings indicate that it is the only medication effectively alleviating these symptoms. Amisulpryde is tolerated well, i.e. it rarely evokes extrapyramidal symptoms and – except for (dose-related) hyperprolactinemia – is free from side effects associated with of many antipsychotic drugs, both classical and of second generation.

Twenty-four depressive patients (25 treatment modalities) were evaluated to estimate an effectiveness of combining treatment with antidepressant and pindolol. That group included also 14 treatment-resistant patients. As the results had indicated pindolol augmentation significantly reduced total scores in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale vs. baseline. That effect was not seen after 7 day of treatment. Pindolol augmentation was more effective when used with tricyclics than with serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors, but small number of patients may have an influence of that result. Combined treatment had good tolerability, although phase change from depression to mania was observed as well.