psychiatric medicine: effects of psychotropic medicines or psychiatric drugs effects of psychotropic medicines Kids, teenagers, and the protection of psychotropic medicines

Medicines prescribed for attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders called psychotropic drugs have largely been studied in adults. This affects many parents whose children take these drugs regularly. Studies have most often looked at the effectiveness of these drugs in adolescents and children. A recent systematic review of several studies in children and adolescents now offers new guidelines on the safety of commonly used drugs.

What did the study look like?

The aim of this study was to comprehensively summarize current findings on the safety of four main classes of psychotropic drugs for children and adolescents. This helps clinicians make prescribing decisions and helps develop informed guidelines. It also helps identify areas where further research is needed.

What is the takeaway news for parents?

The researchers focused on adverse events such as side effects or other problems associated with 80 drugs in four categories: antidepressants, antipsychotics, anti-ADHD drugs, and mood stabilizers. In total, the studies considered data from 337,686 children and adolescents. Most of the study participants were taking either anti-ADHD drugs or antidepressants (approximately 149,000 and 121,000, respectively). Smaller numbers took antipsychotics or mood stabilizers (around 67,000 and 1,600).

The study looked at safety profiles and common side effects that were available in the scientific literature for some but not all drugs: 18 antidepressants; 15 antipsychotics; seven anti-ADHD drugs; and six mood stabilizers. While the side effects were modest overall, the researchers found the following:

• Antidepressants. Common problems included nausea, vomiting, and stopping medication due to side effects. Escitalopram (Lexapro) and fluoxetine (Prozac) were less likely than other to cause side effects.
• Antipsychotics. Common problems included sleepiness, abnormal muscle movement, and weight gain. Lurasidone (Latuda) was less likely than other to cause side effects.
• Anti-ADHD drugs. Common problems were loss of appetite and insomnia. Methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta) was less likely than other to cause side effects.
• Mood stabilizers. Common problems were drowsiness and weight gain. Lithium was less likely to have adverse effects, although its long-term effects, such as possible damage to the kidneys, may be underrepresented.

psychiatric medicine: effects of psychotropic medicines or psychiatric drugs

What are the limits of this study?

The authors acknowledge that there is limited data on adverse events for many of these drugs. Therefore, more extensive adverse event reporting is needed in future research on the use of psychotropic drugs in children and adolescents. In addition, long-term and rare side effects are likely to be underrepresented here due to the limited availability of longer-term data.

What should I ask if a doctor or psychiatric medicine says my child may need a psychiatric drug?

• What is this drug for? Surprisingly, I’ve spoken to a number of parents who aren’t sure why their child is being treated with medication. Make sure you clearly understand several points: what is the diagnosis that needs treatment and what behavioral symptoms could the medicine help with? Ask if this treatment is FDA approved for this diagnosis or if the doctor recommends it for off-label use. If you find the discussion confusing, don’t hesitate to ask your doctor to cancel or repeat some of the explanations. You can also request additional resources, such as B. Handouts or websites related to your child’s condition.
• Is this the only drug option available? As described in this study, each psychotropic drug has a unique profile for side effects and effectiveness. This can even be different within the same drug category. Typically, different treatment options are available, either as individual drugs or in combination with other drugs. Ask about the reasons for choosing each option, as well as their potential benefits and risks.
• What are the possible side effects? It may not be practical to investigate every single possible side effect of each prescribed drug, as the list can be long and create unnecessary anxiety. Instead, focus on common and important potential side effects, such as: B. FDA Black Box Warnings. Many teenagers find it difficult to take medication regularly. So ask if there are any major withdrawal effects (in case your child is skipping medication).
• How long should my child take this drug? This is probably one of the most popular questions to ask, especially when a teen is first starting out on psychiatric drugs. Nobody wants their children to take medication indefinitely. Ask your doctor about the recommended duration of treatment. While neither of us can predict the future, it is a good idea to discuss proposed treatment plans.
• What else should you understand? Some psychiatric drugs require special monitoring protocols to ensure safety. Examples include checking blood pressure, tracking body weight and body mass index (BMI), or doing blood tests at specific times. Also ask your doctor if you have any restrictions, such as: B. Avoiding certain foods or other drugs.

psychiatric medicine: effects of psychotropic medicines or psychiatric drugs

Medicine is a tool in the tool box

Medication is one of the more powerful treatment tools in psychiatric care, but it’s not the only one. For children and adolescents in particular, it is important to take a holistic view of behavior by taking biology, psychology, and social and environmental factors into account. Often, drugs are combined with other approaches, such as: B. Individual therapy, family therapy and multidisciplinary, system-based approaches such as the development of an IEP (individualized education program) for the school. A comprehensive assessment can help the nursing team create appropriate plans that aim for the best result.

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