Biomedical subjects

Ronald C Albucher

Publications and source records attributed to Ronald C Albucher.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Deep brain stimulation for refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder.

BACKGROUND: Neurosurgery (anterior capsulotomy) has been beneficial to many patients with debilitating, refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), but the irreversibility of the procedure is an important limitation to its use. Nondestructive, electrical stimulation (deep brain stimulation; DBS) has proven an effective alternative to ablative surgery for neurological indications, suggesting potential utility in place of capsulotomy for OCD. METHODS: The effects of DBS for OCD were examined in four patients in a short-term, blinded, on-off design and long-term, open follow-up. The patients had incapacitating illness, refractory to standard treatments. Hardware developed for movement disorder treatment was surgically implanted, with leads placed bilaterally in the anterior limbs of their internal capsules. Patients received stimulation in a randomized "on-off" sequence of four 3-week blocks. Ongoing, open stimulation was continued in consenting patients after the controlled trial. RESULTS: Patients tolerated DBS well. Dramatic benefits to mood, anxiety, and OCD symptoms were seen in one patient during blinded study and open, long-term follow-up. A second patient showed moderate benefit during open follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: It appears that DBS has potential value for treating refractory psychiatric disorders, but additional development work is needed before the procedure is utilized outside of carefully controlled research protocols.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

What to do when SSRIs fail: eight strategies for optimizing treatment of panic disorder.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the drug of choice for treatment of patients with panic disorder. Most patients have a favorable response to SSRI therapy; however, 30 percent will not be able to tolerate these drugs or will have an unfavorable or incomplete response. Strategies to improve management of such patients include optimizing SSRI dosing (starting at a low dose and slowly increasing the dose to reach the target dose) and ensuring an adequate trial before switching to a different drug. Benzodiazepines should be avoided but, when necessary, may be used for a short duration or may be used long-term in patients for whom other treatments have failed. Slower-onset, longer-acting benzodiazepines are preferred. All patients should be encouraged to try cognitive behavior therapy. Augmentation therapy should be considered in patients who do not have a complete response. Drugs to consider for use in augmentation therapy include benzodiazepines, buspirone, beta blockers, tricyclic antidepressants, and valproate sodium.

Algorithms↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Psychopharmacological treatment in PTSD: a critical review.

INTRODUCTION: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a prevalent psychiatric disorder that is heterogeneous in its nature, and often presents with other psychiatric comorbidities. As a result, empirical research on effective pharmacotherapy for PTSD has produced complex findings. This article reviews the existing research literature on pharmacological treatments for PTSD, identifies the most effective treatments, and where possible examines their mechanism of action with respect to the neurobiology of PTSD. METHODS: We examined reports of clinical trials of psychotropic agents carried out with PTSD patients and published in peer-reviewed journals, as well as reports from presentations at scientific meetings between 1966 and 2001. RESULTS: Numerous medications are effective in treating PTSD. These include tricyclic antidepressants, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, and serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Considering reported overall efficacy and side effects profiles, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors emerge as the preferred first line treatment for PTSD. Mood stabilizers, atypical neuroleptics, adrenergic agents, and newer antidepressants also show promise, but require further controlled trials to clarify their place in the pharmacopoeia for PTSD. DISCUSSION: There is clear evidence for effective pharmacotherapy of PTSD. Future improvements in the treatment of this disorder await further clinical trials and neurobiological research.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗