Varenicline and Bupropion: Soaring Again With EAGLES?

Topics: Addiction | Addiction Treatment | Bupropion | Chantix | Co-occurring disorders | Dual diagnosis | FDA Warnings | Medication | Pharmacology | Research | Research Update | Side Effects | Smoking Cessation | Smoking Cessation Agents | Substance Use | Substance use disorders | Suicidality | Suicide | Tobacco | Varenicline | Wellbutrin

Review of: Anthenelli RM et al, Lancet 2016;387(10037):2507–2520 Varenicline (Chantix) and bupropion (Zyban and others) are effective treatments for tobacco use disorder, but their use (and sales) took a big hit in 2009 when the FDA slapped both with black box warnings linking them to psychiatric complications, including suicidal ideation. Although

A Potentially Lethal Side Effect You Probably Never Heard Of

Topics: Clozapine | FDA Warnings | Free Articles | Management | Psychosis | Schizophrenia

In January 2020, the FDA issued a strong warning about constipation on clozapine. With a fatality rate of 1 in 1000, this is not just a nuisance side effect, and it can happen with other antipsychotics and psychotropics as well. This type of constipation is caused by slowing of the gut, or gastric hypomotility, and it requires a unique approach. Fiber s

A New Contraindication for Ambien and the Z-Hypnotics

Topics: FDA Warnings | Hypnotics | Insomnia | News of Note | Practice Tools and Tips | Psychopharmacology | Psychopharmacology Tips | Sleep

“Complex sleep behavior” is a euphemism for various problems that can happen after ingesting a sleeping pill. They range from cooking and emailing to driving a car or even sexual assault, all done in an amnestic state that is not recalled upon awakening. In 2007 the FDA placed warnings about these behaviors on all medications approved for insomnia,