I recently came across a case scenario of drug induced akathisia. It is important to remember that aripiprazole is one of the most common causes of this adverse effect. Here’s the case – LY is a 72-year-old man with a 10-year history of Parkinson’s disease...
A 45-year-old woman with a history of bipolar I disorder was recently hospitalized for a manic episode. Following stabilization, her psychiatrist initiated lithium carbonate at 300 mg twice daily for mood stabilization. Her baseline thyroid function tests were within...
It’s not uncommon to see patients in long-term care facilities prescribed medications for anxiety, agitation, or insomnia. Two such medications that can raise red flags are Atarax (hydroxyzine) and Ativan (lorazepam). While both can be appropriate in select...
In this case scenario, I review a common situation I’ve encountered with duplicate antidepressant therapy. JS is a 67-year-old male with a history of type 2 diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, and depression. He has been taking sertraline (podcast) 100 mg daily for...
The prescribing cascade occurs when a side effect of a medication is misinterpreted as a new medical condition, leading to the prescription of additional medicines that may be unnecessary and potentially harmful. In patients with dementia, this can be common due to...
JR is an 88-year-old female who reports increasing episodes of dizziness upon standing over the past month. She describes it as a lightheaded sensation that lasts about 10–15 seconds after getting up from bed or a chair. From a medical standpoint, we would likely call...
