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Biomedical subjects

J Ananth

Publications and source records attributed to J Ananth.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Physically ill and mentally ill.

Undetected physical illnesses in psychiatric patients are common. Why do so many physical illnesses go undetected? These disorders are difficult to detect and need an elaborate consultatory process. Some of the problems may be related to the fact that psychiatrists do not do physical examinations. Clues suggesting an organic etiology may be attributed to psychodynamic issues by many physicians. In this paper, seven case reports are presented to illustrate the following: perform your own physical examination; do not attribute physical signs to dynamic issues; all physical signs should be explained; be alert to atypical presentations; conduct relevant laboratory workup; avoid bias against unattractive patients; and pose specific questions to consultants.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1986

Clomipramine: an antiobsessive drug.

In the past decade, various investigators have attempted to find new pharmacological agents for the treatment of obsessive disorders. Of these, the drug which has attracted attention and has been most promising is clomipramine. This paper attempts to review the usefulness of clomipramine in the treatment of obsessive disorder. Accidentally, it was discovered that clomipramine was effective in alleviating obsessive symptoms in depressed patients by a Spanish psychiatrist, Lopez-Ibor. Initial studies carried out mainly on patients with major depression reported that obsessive symptomatology benefited with clomipramine therapy. A number of uncontrolled and controlled studies confirmed the efficacy of this drug in obsessive neurosis. The drug improves the obsessive symptoms. Discontinuation of the drug is followed by a relapse. The efficacy, dosage, duration and side effects of treatment with clomipramine are discussed in this paper.

Anxiety↗
PubMed1986

Relationship between dystonia and serum calcium levels.

The relationship between acute dystonic reactions and serum calcium levels in 17 acutely psychotic patients was studied. Previous studies have implicated an association between a lowered serum calcium value and acute dystonia. This study failed to note a significant incidence of hypocalcemia in a group of psychotic patients. It is not known whether other factors related to calcium-magnesium balance may be related to dystonia.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Prediction of lithium response.

Even though lithium has been established as an effective agent in the management of primary affective disorders, not all manic-depressive patients respond favourably to lithium therapy. Therefore we attempted to delineate lithium responders from non-responders in a group of 54 manic-depressive patients on the basis of an assessment which included 64 variables and the results showed that only two thirds were pure responders. Females, patients with prior manic episodes, onset of the illness initially with a manic episode, and premorbid psychothymic personality were all indicators of favourable long-term lithium response. Patients with retarded depression, severe anxiety, though disorder and those with higher scores on the Psychopathic Deviate and Paranoia scales of the MMPI were poor lithium responders. It should be noted, however, that only a few of the differences between responders and non-responders were statistically significant. Our study suggests a number of predictive variables for the identification of lithium responders.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Drug induced dyskinesia: a critical review.

Tardive dyskinesia (TD) has been reported to occur after the long term administration of neuroleptics. Its prevalence has been reported to vary from 0.5-56%. However, no clear relationship is established between a particular neuroleptic, its dosage and duration of administration and the diagnosis and occurrence of TD. Neuropathological investigations have not provided any definitive lessons. in addition, TD can be produced by a number of drugs of different chemical classes. Similarly, the evidence for dopaminergic hypersensitivity is equivocal. The only definitive feature seems to be an individual predisposition, the nature of which needs to be elucidated. Of course, basic to any future research into new insights regarding etiology, the fundamental problem of definition and identification based on the accepted definition are most essential. This solid foundation is necessary for the resolution of any conflicting results that may be reported in the future.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1979

Chlorimipramine therapy for obsessive-compulsive neurosis.

Twenty patients with a history of treatment-resistant obsessional neurosis underwent a 4-week clinical trial of chlorimipramine. Scores on the Psychiatric Questionnaire for Obsessive Compulsive Neurosis, the Leyton Obsessional Inventory, and 3 self-assessments indicated that although there was no significant change in obsessive ruminations, obsessive rituals, horrific temptations, or pervading doubt, there was a substantial significant improvement in the obsessive symptom item and severity of obsessions, as well as anxiety, depression, and phobia. Side effects were mild. The authors believe that chlorimipramine is the most promising treatment for obsessive-compulsive neurosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Clinical prediction of antidepressant response.

Depression is not a unitary disease and not all cases of depression can be treated alike. Therefore, predictors of antidepressant response to different drugs need to be identified. Premorbid personality, age and sex and family history are useful in prediction. As an example, only females respond to the addition of triiodothyronine to the antidepressant therapy. Endogenous depressions respond favourably to antidepressants, so also do psychotic depressions. On the other hand, delusional depressions do not respond to antidepressants. While atypical depressions are best treated with MAOI, motor retardation improves with imipramine and obsessive symptoms with chlorimipramine. In addition to clinical variables, biochemical and statistical approaches have also yielded significant results in prediction.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1978

Side effects in the neonate from psychotropic agents excreted through breast-feeding.

Neuroleptics, antidepressants, lithium, anxiolytics, and hypnotics may be excreted in breast milk. Because of the danger to the neonate, drugs such as diazepam, lithium, bromides, reserpine, and opium alkaloids should not be given to lactating women, and barbiturates, haloperidol, and penfluridol should be administered with caution. The side effects produced as a result of breast-feeding of the infant by mothers consuming psychotropic drugs are reviewed and possible preventive measures are discussed.

Barbiturates↗
PubMed1978

Prediction of lithium response in affective disorders.

Lithium carbonate has established itself as an effective therapeutic agent in primary affective disorders. As not all the patients with primary affective disorders respond to lithium therapy, it is necessary to identify responders prior to treatment. The important indicators of favourable lithium response include a definitive diagnosis of primary affective disorder, occurrence of less than four episodes of mania and depression within one year, psychotic features during both manic as well as depressive episodes, "grandiose-elated" picture during manic episodes; a family history of bipolar illness and response of affected family members to lithium treatment. While those with more than four episodes are not likely to respond to lithium therapy, those with episodes less frequent than once a year or two may not need prophylactic lithium. Among the depressed, hypersomnic depressed patients respond to lithium combined with a monoamine oxidase inhibitor. In addition to clinical predictors of response to lithium treatment, there are a number of pharmacokinetic, neurophysiological and biochemical indices which have been employed as supplementary predictors of response to lithium therapy.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1977

Treatment of obsessive-compulsive neurosis with clomipramine (Anafranil).

An uncontrolled clinical study was carried out to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of clomipramine (Anafranil, Geigy Pharmacueticals) in a group of twenty obsessive-compulsive neurotic patients. Clomipramine proved to be extremely useful in alleviating obsessive-compulsive neurosis as well as phobia. This finding was not secondary to the improvement in anxiety or depression which occurred, as the degree of improvement in obsessive symptoms far exceeded the improvement in the other symptoms.

Adult↗