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Biomedical subjects

Peter J Weiden

Publications and source records attributed to Peter J Weiden.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Predictors of antipsychotic medication adherence in patients recovering from a first psychotic episode.

BACKGROUND: Many patients recovering from a first psychotic episode will discontinue medication against medical advice, even before a 1-year treatment course is completed. Factors associated with treatment adherence in patients with chronic schizophrenia include beliefs about severity of illness and need for treatment, treatment with typical versus atypical antipsychotic and medication side effects. METHOD: In this 2-year prospective study of 254 patients recovering from a first episode of schizophrenia, schizophreniform, or schizoaffective disorder we examined the relationship between antipsychotic medication non-adherence and patient beliefs about: need for treatment, antipsychotic medication benefits, and negative aspects of antipsychotic medication treatment. We also examined the relationship between medication non-adherence and treatment with either haloperidol or olanzapine, and objective measures of symptom response and side effects. RESULTS: The likelihood of becoming medication non-adherent for 1 week or longer was greater in subjects whose belief in need for treatment was less (HR=1.75, 95% CI 1.16, 2.65, p=0.0077) or who believed medications were of low benefit (HR=2.88, 95 CI 1.79-4.65, p<0.0001). Subjects randomized to haloperidol were more likely to become medication non-adherent for >or=1 week than subjects randomized to olanzapine (HR-1.51, 95% CI 1.01, 2.27, p=0.045). CONCLUSION: Beliefs about need for treatment and the benefits of antipsychotic medication may be intervention targets to improve likelihood of long-term medication adherence in patients recovering from a first episode of schizophrenia, schizoaffective, or schizophreniform disorder.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Cognitive behavior therapy for schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE: A growing body of evidence supports the use of cognitive behavior therapy for the treatment of schizophrenia. A course of cognitive behavior therapy, added to the antipsychotic regimen, is now considered to be an appropriate standard of care in the United Kingdom. The objective of this article is to offer a broad perspective on the subject of cognitive behavior therapy for schizophrenia for the American reader. METHOD: The authors summarize current practice and data supporting the use of cognitive behavior therapy for schizophrenia. RESULTS: Five aspects of cognitive behavior therapy for schizophrenia are addressed: 1) evidence from randomized clinical trials, 2) currently accepted core techniques, 3) similarities to and differences from other psychosocial interventions for schizophrenia, 4) differences between the United States and United Kingdom in implementation, and 5) current directions of research. CONCLUSIONS: The strength of the evidence supporting cognitive behavior therapy for schizophrenia suggests that this technique should have more attention and support in the United States.

Antipsychotic Agents↗
PubMed2006

The art and science of switching of antipsychotic medications, part 1.

In the presentation "Prevalence of and Factors Influencing the Switching of Antipsychotic Medications," Weiden defines the recovery approach for the treatment of schizophrenia, focuses on reasons for switching antipsychotic medications, and offers recommendations for evaluating switch studies. In "Combining and Switching Medications in Bipolar Disorder," Young discusses the similarities and differences between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, offers recommendations for switching medications in bipolar disorder, and evaluates studies of atypical antipsychotics in the treatment of bipolar disorder. Buckley's presentation, "Differential Pharmacology of Atypical Antipsychotics: Clinical Implications," examines response rates in patients with schizophrenia after switching antipsychotic medications, outlines receptor-binding profiles of atypical antipsychotics, highlights adverse events that may occur when switching antipsychotic medications, and offers recommendations for treating those adverse events.

Antipsychotic Agents↗
PubMed2006

Switching in the era of atypical antipsychotics. An updated review.

The introduction of the newer atypical antipsychotic medications in the 1990s was the first major change in the psychopharmacologic treatment of schizophrenia in many years. Many patients previously treated with conventional antipsychotics showed marked improvement when switched to one of the newer agents. Yet the principles involved in switching patients to these agents initially posed a challenge for clinicians, with many patients becoming unstable and relapsing during switches. Now, a decade later, switching techniques are better understood, but, with atypical antipsychotics now the standard of care, new challenges have emerged. Surveys confirm a steady decrease in use of older antipsychotics and an increase in use of first-line atypical agents since 1994. Before the newer atypical agents, elective antipsychotic changes in "stable" outpatients were uncommon, but with more choices available, rates of switching, mostly from one atypical agent to another, are now 30%-50% a year in many outpatient clinics, a trend that is likely to continue with the expanding range of target symptoms and growing expectations for better outcomes. Whereas relapse prevention was once considered the primary goal, the focus has moved beyond stability towards recovery. This article focuses on recent developments in switching and highlights differences in the switching profiles of the most recently introduced antipsychotics, ziprasidone and aripiprazole, and compares their switching characteristics with those of the other first-line atypical antipsychotics.

Antipsychotic Agents↗
PubMed2006

Beyond psychopharmacology. Psychosocial strategies for getting the best results when switching antipsychotic medications.

Recent effectiveness studies have shown that over a year and a half, 3 of 4 study patients either stopped or changed their antipsychotic medication. This finding highlights the fact that psychopharmacologic treatments do not remain stable over the course of treatment. Our own interpretation is that these findings emphasize that medication decisions cannot be made outside the context of patients' beliefs, life goals, and social network. Especially important is understanding the underlying, often unspoken, hopes and goals that may motivate patients to try a new medication. For best outcomes when changing patient medications, physicians must translate unspoken patient thoughts and feelings into mutually agreed upon definable target symptoms before the switch. This process helps the patient become an active participant in the switching process and encourages patience and perseverance during the lag time before desired improvements may be seen. Concerns about the new medication are best addressed before the switch. Once the decision has been made to switch, the change must await patient psychological readiness to complete a full therapeutic trial of the new medication. The target goals established before the switch can be used to evaluate the success of the medication trial and to compare any improvements with those from the previous medication. It is also important to revisit the initial treatment goals to distinguish primary pharmacologic improvements from secondary psychologic reactions and challenges arising from those improvements.

Antipsychotic Agents↗
PubMed2005

Switching antipsychotics: an updated review with a focus on quetiapine.

Atypical antipsychotics offer broader efficacy and improved tolerability compared with conventional agents. Many patients currently treated with conventional antipsychotics continue to experience persistent symptoms or troublesome side effects and may benefit from a change to one of the newer atypical agents. There are also significant differences in the side-effect profiles of the atypicals, such that a switch from one atypical agent to another could offer advantages to many patients. Unfortunately, many clinicians remain uncertain about the switching process and are reluctant to initiate change. The aim of this review is to identify the indications for a switch in antipsychotic therapy with a focus on recent switching data for the atypical antipsychotic, quetiapine. The clinical aspects of quetiapine's receptor binding characteristics are reviewed including the implications of the low D(2) antagonist properties that make quetiapine the treatment of choice when EPS persists with other atypical antipsychotics. Practical guidelines are given for managing the process of changeover, for avoiding pitfalls and for maximizing the chances of a successful switch. For example, when managing the antipsychotic crossover, it is important to consider the psychological effects of switching arising from symptom and side-effect changes. Finally, advice is provided on the assessments necessary when evaluating the success of a change in therapy, together with guidance on the optimal duration of treatment trials.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Optimizing treatment of schizophrenia. Enhancing affective/cognitive and depressive functioning.

Recognition and treatment of schizophrenia has largely focused on positive symptoms of the disorder, such as delusions, hallucinations, and disorganization. However, other important symptoms, such as depression, cognition, and social functioning, have not received comparable attention. Fifty percent of schizophrenic patients suffer from comorbid depression, which is a major risk factor for suicide in this population, while 10% to 25% suffer from comorbid obsessive-compulsive disorder. Cognitive deficits commonly observed in patients with schizophrenia include problems with concentration, attention, and memory, as well as problem-solving and verbal skills. These deficits are observed at early stages of the illness and can predict deficits in functional capabilities, such as occupational and social skills, educational attainment, and the ability to live independently. The severity of such impairments affects all patient in this population, including up to 10% of patients working full time and up to one third of those working part time. In light of the debilitating effects of depression, cognitive impairment, and other aspects of affective functioning on the quality of life of patients with schizophrenia, physicians need to partner with their patients to address these concerns and determine an appropriate treatment regimen. This can be done with simple functional-based cognitive questioning, the use of evidence-based psychosocial practices, and psychoeducation on the many pharmacotherapeutic options. It is recommended that depressive or suicidal symptoms of schizophrenia be treated with an antidepressant or mood stabilizer only if the symptoms have not subsided after treatment of the psychosis with an atypical antipsychotic. Additionally, relative to older medications, atypicals have demonstrated benefit in improving some of the cognitive impairments.

Affective Symptoms↗
PubMed2005

From clinical research to clinical practice: a 4-year review of ziprasidone.

Ziprasidone is a second-generation antipsychotic that received Food and Drug Administration approval in February 2001. It has a unique receptor profile that includes high-affinity antagonist activity at dopamine D2 receptors, inverse agonist activity at serotonin (5-HT)2A receptors, agonist activity at 5-HTlA receptors, and a relatively high affinity for the serotonin and norepinephrine transporters. The 5-HTIA affinity, together with the inhibitory effect on mono-amine reuptake, may underlie the hypothesized beneficial effects on comorbid affective and cognitive abnormalities in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. The short-term efficacy of ziprasidone for core positive symptoms of schizophrenia appears to be comparable to other conventional and atypical antipsychotics. The short-term efficacy of ziprasidone in acute mania has been established based on two 3-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials.Open-label treatment for up to 52 weeks confirms the sustained efficacy and safety of ziprasidone in bipolar disorder. Maintenance studies in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder indicate that long-term ziprasidone therapy is effective in preventing relapse, while maintaining cognitive and psychosocial benefits. The safety database suggests that the overall cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risk associated with ziprasidone is lower than with other atypicals, with notably lower risk of drug-related increases in weight, glucose, or lipids. The data also suggest a modestly increased risk of QTc prolongation that is not dose related or linked to torsades de pointes. Switching to ziprasidone from other atypicals appears to improve both clinical symptoms and metabolic parameters, though more studies are needed to fully characterize these benefits. This monograph summarizes the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of oral ziprasidone in the treatment of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar mania.

Antipsychotic Agents↗
PubMed2004

Obesity as a risk factor for antipsychotic noncompliance.

OBJECTIVE: Weight gain is a common side effect of antipsychotic medications and is of particular concern with most of the newer "atypical" antipsychotics. It is, therefore, increasingly important to understand the impact of obesity and perceived weight problems on compliance with these medications. METHODS: A survey of treatment and health issues was mailed to local chapters of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) and National Mental Health Association (NMHA), who distributed them to people with schizophrenia. Noncompliance was defined as a self-report of missing any antipsychotic medication in the previous month. The primary independent variables were (1) body mass index (BMI; weight [kg]/height [m2])-categorized as normal (< 25, n = 73), overweight (25-30, n = 104), or obese (> 30, n = 100)-and (2) subjective distress over weight gain. Other independent variables included demographics, medication attitudes, and treatment satisfaction. RESULT: BMI status and subjective distress from weight gain were predictors of noncompliance. Obese individuals were more than twice as likely as those with a normal BMI to report missing their medication (OR = 2.5; CI 1.1-5.5). A comprehensive model suggested that the primary mediator of noncompliance was distress over weight gain. CONCLUSIONS: There appears to be a significant, positive association between obesity and subjective distress from weight gain and medication noncompliance, even when accounting for other possible confounding factors.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Randomized, controlled, double-blind multicenter comparison of the efficacy and tolerability of ziprasidone and olanzapine in acutely ill inpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.

OBJECTIVE: Limited randomized, controlled trial data exist on possible differences between atypical antipsychotics in efficacy, overall tolerability, and important indices of health status. The authors compared the efficacy and tolerability of ziprasidone and olanzapine in the treatment of acutely ill inpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. METHOD: In this 6-week, multicenter, double-blind, parallel-design, flexible-dose trial, patients were randomly assigned to receive ziprasidone (N=136) or olanzapine (N=133). Primary efficacy measures were improvement in Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale and Clinical Global Impression (CGI) severity scale scores; secondary measures were scores on the CGI improvement scale, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, and Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia. Tolerability assessments included fasting lipid profiles, fasting glucose and insulin measurements, electrocardiography, and monitoring of vital signs and body weight. RESULTS: The overall mean daily doses were 129.9 mg (SD=27.3) for ziprasidone and 11.3 mg (SD=2.8) for olanzapine. Both antipsychotics were efficacious in improving symptoms and global illness severity. The two treatment groups did not differ significantly in primary or secondary efficacy measures at endpoint or in by-visit analysis. Both agents were well tolerated. Body weight, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol significantly increased with olanzapine but not with ziprasidone; all between-group comparisons of these variables were significant and favored ziprasidone. Olanzapine, but not ziprasidone, was associated with significant increases in fasting insulin level. No patient in either group exhibited a corrected QT interval >/=500 msec. CONCLUSIONS: During 6 weeks' treatment, ziprasidone and olanzapine demonstrated comparable antipsychotic efficacy. Differences favoring ziprasidone were observed in metabolic parameters.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Partial compliance and risk of rehospitalization among California Medicaid patients with schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between compliance with an antipsychotic medication regimen and risk of hospitalization in a cohort of California Medicaid patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: Compliance behavior was estimated by using a retrospective review of California Medicaid pharmacy refill and medical claims for 4,325 outpatients for whom antipsychotics were prescribed for treatment of schizophrenia from 1999 to 2001. Compliance behavior was estimated by using four different definitions: gaps in medication therapy, medication consistency and persistence, and a medication possession ratio. Patients were followed for one year and had an average of 19.1 dispensing events. Logistic regression models using each compliance estimate were used to determine the odds of hospitalization. RESULTS: Risk of hospitalization was significantly correlated with compliance. With all definitions, lower compliance was associated with a greater risk of hospitalization over and above any other risk factors for hospitalization. For example, the presence of any gap in medication coverage was associated with increased risk of hospitalization, including gaps as small as one to ten days (odds ratio [OR]=1.98). A gap of 11 to 30 days was associated with an OR of 2.81, and a gap of more than 30 days was associated with an OR of 3.96. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed a direct correlation between estimated partial compliance and hospitalization risk among patients with schizophrenia across a continuum of compliance behavior.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Improvement in indices of health status in outpatients with schizophrenia switched to ziprasidone.

Side effect and health status changes were measured in 3 studies in which outpatients experiencing suboptimal efficacy or tolerability with their current antipsychotic were switched to 6 weeks of open-label ziprasidone. The studies differed only in the patient's prior antipsychotic; 1 study group was on olanzapine (n = 104), a second on risperidone (n = 58), and third on a conventional antipsychotic (n = 108). Baseline and end point health status measures included weight and height, nonfasting cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, prolactin levels, and extrapyramidal side effects. Improvements in health indices and side effects were seen among all 3 groups, but the specific benefits depended on the preswitch antipsychotic. For example, patients switched from olanzapine experienced a mean weight loss of 1.76 kg (P < 0.0001), those switched from risperidone had a lesser reduction in weight (-0.86 kg; P = 0.015), and those switched from conventionals had a nonsignificant increase (+0.27 kg; P = 0.3). Prolactin levels decreased among those switched from risperidone (P < 0.0001) or conventionals (P = 0.05), but not for patients switched from olanzapine. EPS improved among those switched from conventionals (P < 0.0001) and to a lesser extent among those switched from risperidone (P < 0.01), but not in those changed from olanzapine (NS). Thus, in these studies, switching to ziprasidone in patients with continuing symptoms or side effects on their current medication was often associated with improved health status indices, lowered prolactin levels, or less EPS, with the magnitude benefit consistent with the known side-effect profile of the preswitch antipsychotic.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Effectiveness of switching to ziprasidone for stable but symptomatic outpatients with schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Many outpatients with schizophrenia experience persistent symptoms or side effects on their current antipsychotic regimen. Few studies have prospectively examined the effects of the prior medication or switching method on the safety and efficacy of a newly available antipsychotic. Efficacy and tolerability of ziprasidone were evaluated in patients with DSM-IV schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who were switched from conventional or atypical antipsychotics in three 6-week, multicenter, randomized, open-label, parallel-group trials. METHOD: Stable outpatients with persistent symptoms or troublesome side effects on (1) conventional antipsychotic (N = 108), (2) olanzapine (N = 104), or (3) risperidone (N = 58) therapy were switched to an open-label, 6-week, flexible-dose trial of ziprasidone (40-160 mg/day). Patients were randomly assigned at baseline to 1 of 3 switching schedules during the first week of ziprasidone therapy. Baseline and outcome assessments included Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Clinical Global Impressions of Severity (CGI-S) ratings. RESULTS: All 3 switching strategies were well tolerated for all 3 patient groups. After 6 weeks on ziprasidone therapy, significant (p <.05) improvements were observed on all major symptom measures and almost all subscales for all switched subgroups. CONCLUSION: Switching stable but symptomatic outpatients from their previous antipsychotic to ziprasidone was generally well tolerated and was associated with symptom improvements 6 weeks later. Improvements occurred in patients recently on other first-line atypical antipsychotic, as well as in those on conventional antipsychotic, treatment. While limitations of switching study designs do not permit interpretation of comparative efficacy, these studies suggest that outpatients who partially respond to conventional antipsychotics, risperidone, or olanzapine may experience improved control of psychotic symptoms following a switch to ziprasidone.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Best clinical practice with ziprasidone: update after one year of experience.

This article presents clinical recommendations for using ziprasidone based on information from a year of post-marketing experience. The recommendations are based on the clinical literature, the package insert, presentations at recent meetings, data on file with the manufacturer, and the consensus of a panel of expert psychiatrists. The article provides updates on efficacy and safety data and gives recommendations for dosing and switching strategies. With regard to the QTc issue, there has not been any case of torsades de pointes reported in the more than 150,000 patients who have received ziprasidone since its approval. Ziprasidone is weight neutral and does not appear to cause increases in glucose or lipid levels or in insulin resistance. The panel generally recommends beginning with an initial dose of 80 mg/day (40 mg b.i.d.) rather than the 40 mg/day dose recommended in the package insert. The ability to begin with a therapeutic dose and to titrate up rapidly is an advantage of ziprasidone, especially in treatment settings where admission time is short. In making an elective switch to ziprasidone, the panel recommends a variety of different switching strategies but stresses the importance of trying to maintain a therapeutic dose of one antipsychotic at all times.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Teaching medication compliance to psychiatric residents: placing an orphan topic into a training curriculum.

OBJECTIVE: Medication compliance is an orphan topic. Training in the understanding and management of noncompliance does not neatly fall within the domain of psychopharmacology, nor does it clearly fit into other core curricula areas, such as clinical interviewing or psychotherapy training. The objective of this article is to increase awareness about this vagueness among academic psychiatrists and to offer a suggested curriculum to facilitate implementation. METHODS: The authors present a curriculum covering major aspects of the theory and practice of compliance. The proposed curriculum is divided into five core components that can be used together or separately. These components are: 1) definition of compliance and noncompliance; 2) understanding how compliance depends on efficacy; 3) assessment of compliance and noncompliance; 4) the importance of the therapeutic alliance; and 5) pharmacological and psychosocial strategies to improve compliance. These five sections can be modified into specific lectures that are added to ongoing psychopharmacology, psychiatric interviewing, or psychotherapy courses. RESULTS: A careful review of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) core curriculum found no mention of medication compliance/adherence as a specific training goal, and our residency program, like many others, did not have a specific course that focused on this issue. To address this omission, the authors designed and taught a five-session course for PGY-III and PGY-IV psychiatry residents that specifically addressed assessment and management of noncompliance. It was piloted in the 2003-2004 academic year. The course was very well received and formed the basis of this material presented in this review and discussion. CONCLUSION: The principles of understanding, assessing, and managing medication compliance should be a part of the core curriculum for every psychiatric residency training program.

Curriculum↗