Depression….

Posted by: heatherchui on: September 3, 2009

• In: Reflections on Residency & Learning | Uncategorized
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Yesterday, we had our therapeutic session on depression with Dr. Bree Zehm. The session was a nice review and I also learned a few new things.

1) Seroquel XR is indicated as monotherapy for depression.

2) Sertraline has relatively few drug interactions with the exception doses which exceed 150 mg/per day. It exhibits CYP 2D6 inhibition at higher doses.

3)Venlafaxine doses greater than 300 mg per day are more likely to cause an increase in blood pressure.

4) Acutely suicidal/psychotic patients and pregnant patients  are people most likely to receive ECT.

I am looking forward to doing my psych rotation in April. Psychiatry is an area I really feel I need more exposure to as I am not usually comfortable making recommendations with psych meds!

Side note: Bree is going to try to arrange for me to watch a patient getting ECT when I am on rotation with her. I am looking forward to that!