Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0085631 (agitation)
 12,064 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

A survey by questionnaire of all senior psychiatrists in the Wessex Region showed that they considered depressive psychosis to be the major indication for electric convulsion therapy (ECT). A good clinical response was thought to be predicted by the presence of psychomotor retardation, depressive delusions, depressed mood, early morning wakening, diurnal variation, loss of appetite, and agitation. ECT was judged to be extremely useful for treating mania and acute undifferentiated, catatonic, and paranoid schizophrenia; of some use in hypochondriasis; but of little value or contraindicated when there was severe, depersonalisation, or hysterical symptoms. Only 40% of the psychiatrists favoured unilateral ECT, and the variation in electrode placements used by different psychiatrists was surprising. Eighty per cent of the respondents used courses averaging six to eight treatments given over two or three weeks. Results obtained in this study, based on clinical judgment, differed from research findings, which emphasises the need for further study of this important treatment.
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PMID:Indications for electric convulsion therapy and its use by senior psychiatrists. 44 94

The author reviews the role of high-frequency benzodiazepines in the treatment of psychosis. Lorazepam and clonazepam are of established value in controlling acute psychotic agitation and catatonia. These agents have also been shown to be helpful in managing neuroleptic-induced akathisia. Recent data strongly support an adjunctive role for alprazolam in the treatment of neuroleptic-resistant symptoms in a subgroup of chronic schizophrenics. Separate, though overlapping, profiles of clinical efficacy are described for the three currently available agents. Alprazolam is suggested to be useful in depressive psychosis and clonazepam in manic psychosis. Lorazepam is suggested to be without specific "mood-normalizing" effects.
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PMID:Emerging uses for high-potency benzodiazepines in psychotic disorders. 197 Aug 17