Review of Management Considerations for Excoriation Disorder in Older Adults.

Excoriation disorder (ED) is defined as compulsive skin picking that results in skin damage and emotional distress. Optimal management of ED includes individualized treatment plans consisting of psychotherapies, behavioral and pharmacologic interventions. Compared with younger populations, older adults are at increased risk for poor outcomes, such as infection and hospitalization, and require unique management considerations. Risk factors that contribute to disease burden include age-related changes to the skin and underlying medical and psychiatric comorbidities. A literature review was conducted on ED yielding limited evidence exclusive to older adults. The authors suggest a therapeutic approach to ED in older adults based on available evidence and experience from inpatient and outpatient psychiatric settings. Finally, opportunities for future research are highlighted.

Brexpiprazole in the treatment of schizophrenia and agitation in Alzheimer's disease.

Schizophrenia is a disabling psychiatric disorder marked by progressive loss of functionality in activities of daily living with each relapse. Antipsychotics, the mainstay of therapy for schizophrenia, treat hallucinations and delusions but may have intolerable side effects, including metabolic disturbances and extrapyramidal symptoms. Brexpiprazole, a second-generation antipsychotic with dopamine partial agonist properties, was approved by the US FDA in 2015 for the treatment of schizophrenia and adjunctive treatment of major depressive disorder and by the EU in 2018 for adults with schizophrenia. Additionally, brexpiprazole has recently been studied for the treatment of agitation in Alzheimer's dementia, an area of largely unmet need. Overall, well-tolerated brexpiprazole expands the armamentarium of treatment options available for these conditions.

Stiff-person syndrome in a patient with comorbid bipolar and panic disorders: A case report and literature review.

Stiff-person syndrome (SPS) is a neurologic disorder characterized by muscle stiffness, rigidity, and muscle spasms, and it can increase a patient's risk for falls. It is recognized as a rare disease with limited clinical guidelines to manage the condition and its symptoms. Currently, there is even less clinical guidance for the management of common comorbid conditions in these patients. This patient case report aims to evaluate the efficacy of various medications for symptom management in a patient with SPS and comorbid psychiatric disorders, specifically bipolar I and panic disorder. Throughout the patient's course of treatment, various medications were trialed, including fluoxetine, hydroxyzine, valproic acid, propranolol, and clonazepam. Ultimately, fluoxetine, hydroxyzine, and propranolol were discontinued due to adverse drug reactions and incomplete symptom resolution. The patient's bipolar I disorder was adequately managed with valproic acid. Once the clonazepam was changed from as-needed to scheduled dosing, the patient's panic disorder and anxiety-triggered spasms were well controlled. The efficacy of benzodiazepines, specifically high doses of diazepam, in alleviating muscle spasms and anxiety in SPS has been demonstrated in the literature. Case reports including patients with SPS that are prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors provide controversial evidence as some studies report exacerbation of SPS symptoms with prolonged use. As this case report and literature review suggest, patients with SPS and comorbid panic disorder and anxiety-triggered spasms may benefit from the use of benzodiazepines. The use of other medication classes for the treatment of other comorbid psychiatric disorders in a patient with SPS is lacking evidence.

Implementation of a QTc-interval monitoring protocol by pharmacists to decrease cardiac risk in at-risk patients in an acute care inpatient psychiatric facility.

INTRODUCTION: Many medications commonly prescribed in psychiatric hospitals can cause QTc-interval prolongation, increasing a patient's risk for torsades de pointes and sudden cardiac death. There is little guidance in the literature to determine when an electrocardiogram (ECG) and QTc-interval monitoring should be performed. The primary end point was improvement of the appropriateness of ECGs and QTc-interval monitoring of at-risk psychiatric inpatients at Barnabas Health Behavioral Health Center (BHBH) and Monmouth Medical Center (MMC) following implementation of a standardized monitoring protocol. The secondary end point was the number of pharmacist-specific interventions at site BHBH only. METHODS: Patients who met the inclusion criteria were assessed using a standardized QTc-prolongation assessment algorithm for ECG appropriateness. A retrospective analysis of a control group (no protocol) from January 1, 2016, to July 17, 2017, was compared with a prospective analysis of the intervention group (with protocol) from December 11, 2017, to March 11, 2018. RESULTS: At BHBH, appropriate ECG utilization increased 25.5% after implementation of a standardized protocol (P = .0172) and appropriate omission of ECG utilization improved by 26% (P < .00001). At MMC, appropriate ECGs decreased by 5%, and appropriate ECG omissions increased by 28%, neither of which were statistically significant (P = 1.0 and P = .3142, respectively). There was an increase in overall pharmacist monitoring. DISCUSSION: The study demonstrated that pharmacist involvement in ECG and QTc-interval monitoring utilizing a uniform protocol may improve the appropriateness of ECG and QTc-interval monitoring in patients in an acute care inpatient psychiatric hospital.

Pharmacologic Treatment Options for Insomnia in Patients with Schizophrenia.

Background: Symptoms of sleep disorders, such as disturbances in sleep initiation and continuity, are commonly reported in patients with schizophrenia, especially in the acute phase of illness. Studies have shown that up to 80% of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia report symptoms of insomnia. Sleep disturbances have been shown to increase the risk of cognitive dysfunction and relapse in patients with schizophrenia. Currently, there are no medications approved specifically for the treatment of insomnia in patients with schizophrenia. Methods: A literature search was performed through OVID and PubMed to compile publications of pharmacotherapy options studied to treat insomnia in patients with schizophrenia. Articles were reviewed from 1 January 2000 through 1 March 2018 with some additional earlier articles selected if deemed by the authors to be particularly relevant. Results: Pharmacotherapies collected from the search results that were reviewed and evaluated included melatonin, eszopiclone, sodium oxybate, and antipsychotics. Conclusions: Overall, this review confirmed that there are a few evidence-based options to treat insomnia in patients with schizophrenia, including selecting a more sedating second-generation antipsychotic such as paliperidone, or adding melatonin or eszopiclone. Further randomized controlled trials are needed.