Things I Learned At My Psychopharmacology Workshop

...yesterday:
1. Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are the estimated 4th leading cause of death in the USA.
2. An estimated 11% of hospitalized patients experience an ADR.
3. New drugs are often sold originally as a racemic mixture until the 14 year patent expires, and then re-released as an enantiomer or a metabolite--usually under a slightly different name--to take advantage of another 14 years of patented profits. Actual differences from the original are usually minimal.
4. Contrary to popular belief, all medications are habituating to some degree, as the body attempts to achieve homeostasis.
5. Anxiety often increases with SSRIs (antidepressants) before it decreases.
6. The number of new diagnoses of a particular disorder goes up in direct relation to the recent release of a new (patented, i.e., expensive) medication treating that disorder: e.g., Abilify-->Bipolar Disorder.
7. Current scientific opinion is that anxiety is a function of either an excess or a deficit of serotonin. (!)
8. Atypical antipsychotics may be the best drug treatment for OCD, when used in conjunction with antidepressants.
9. Antidepressants may be the best treament for anxiety.
10. Anticonvulsants and atypical antipsychotics may be the best treatment for mania.
11. The Next! New! Miracle! Drug! is likely to be a glutamatergic antagonist and/or a drug which reduces corticotrophin releasing hormone (CHR).
12. Most psychotropic medications--no matter their original treatment focus--operate on the dopamine, serotonin, glutamate and norepinephrine systems in various proportions. This includes antidepressants, antipsychotics, anticonvulsants, etc., etc.
13. Listen to us! We're doctors and scientists! We know what we're doing!
14. I wish I was a prescriber and could get me some of that yummy drug rep action.
...and, last but not least:
15. Rats are physiologically unable to vomit.