Medical complications of bulimia nervosa.

Bulimia nervosa, a mental illness 4 times more common than anorexia nervosa, is characterized by binge-eating followed by compensatory purging behaviors, which include self-induced vomiting, diuretic abuse, laxative abuse, and misuse of insulin. Patients with bulimia nervosa are at risk of developing medical complications that affect all body systems, especially the renal and electrolyte systems. Behavior cessation can reverse some, but not all, medical complications.

Paliperidone: a new extended-release oral atypical antipsychotic.

Paliperidone extended release (ER) is the most recent atypical antipsychotic to become available for the treatment of schizophrenia. It has a unique extended-release delivery system, allowing once/day dosing with steady plasma concentrations of the medication. Several randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trials have shown paliperidone ER to be efficacious in the management of acute schizophrenia as well as for the prevention of symptom recurrence when compared with placebo. Patients in the treatment groups receiving daily doses ranging from 3 to 12 mg displayed generalized symptom improvement using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and improved functioning on the Personal and Social Performance Scale. Paliperidone ER has been shown to be generally safe and tolerable. At its recommended dose of 6 mg daily, the reported extrapyramidal symptom adverse events are similar to placebo, and weight gain is very modest. However, at higher doses, weight gain and extrapyramidal symptoms are more elevated. Paliperidone ER has the potential to offer advantages over its parent compound and other second generation agents, and may aid in ensuring compliance among persons with schizophrenia. At present, there are no published data from a comparative trial with paliperidone ER versus its parent compound or other second-generation antipsychotic agents.