Biomedical subjects

J J Huszonek

Publications and source records attributed to J J Huszonek.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1995

Anticholinergic effects in a depressed parkinsonian patient.

Depression is commonly associated with idiopathic Parkinson's disease. Various antidepressants can be helpful in the treatment of this type of depression. Anticholinergic medications are at times used for treating the motor symptoms of parkinsonism. While some authors have reported euphorigenic effects from anticholinergics in other groups of patients, generally, they have not been used in the treatment of depression, with or without parkinsonism. In the case presented, a depressed patient with Parkinson's disease on levodopa/carbidopa and fluoxetine was given benztropine for his motor symptoms. The result was some improvement in his motor symptoms and a wide, dose-related spectrum of other central nervous system changes ranging from delirium to mania, hypomania, and euthymia from a "baseline" of residual depression. At a very low dose (0.25 mg per day), benztropine appeared to have an augmenting antidepressant effect that rendered the patient euthymic.

Aged↗

PubMed1993

Antidepressant side effects and physician prescribing patterns.

We studied the following questions: (1) Do physicians preferentially prescribe antidepressants (ADs) with the least side effects (SEs) of sedation, orthostatic hypotension, and anticholinergic activity; (2) Have there been any recent changes in prescribing patterns; and (3) Do patterns differ for psychiatrists and nonpsychiatrists. Data on psychiatrist and non-psychiatrist outpatient prescribing of specific ADs were obtained from the National Prescription Audit (NPA) for 1986 and 1989. In 1986, physicians did not minimize the use of ADs with the most of these SEs. The 1989 data indicate that psychiatrists made a major change toward prescribing more low SE ADs and less ADs with the most SEs. The data for nonpsychiatrists also suggest some movement in this direction. The availability of fluoxetine and the concomitant focus on SEs may have contributed to this shift. Further investigation is needed to clarify factors that influence physicians' choices of ADs.

Antidepressive Agents↗

PubMed1987

Establishing therapeutic contact with schizophrenics: a supervisory approach.

The beginning resident in psychiatry often finds schizophrenic inpatients to be noncompliant with the standard therapeutic approaches. This can present a significant supervisory challenge. An approach that views the schizophrenic as deficient of "good" objects and emphasizes the resident's capacity to form ordinary human relationships is discussed as a means of establishing therapeutic contact.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Factors associated with antidepressant choice.

Previous studies have suggested that nonpsychiatrists tend to prescribe antidepressants (ADs) with the most side effects (SEs), whereas psychiatrists are more likely to prescribe more ADs with fewer SEs. The authors used a questionnaire to examine the antidepressant prescribing pattern, conditions for which ADs were prescribed, and SEs of concern to physicians. Of those surveyed, the psychiatrists reported prescribing significantly more nortriptyline and desipramine, whereas the nonpsychiatrists prescribed more amitriptyline. The nonpsychiatrists were more likely to prescribe ADs for pain, and they were significantly less concerned with orthostatic hypotension. Possible lower dosing and level of concern about orthostatic hypotension may be related. Further study is proposed to assess other factors that might influence AD choice.

Antidepressive Agents↗