Mental Health

This week is National Brain Awareness Week, so Pharmacy Times® interviewed Caroline Carney, MD, MSc, FAPM, CPHQ, CMO of Magellan Health, on some of the issues surrounding the contemporary understanding of mental health and brain health.

Pharmacists and pharmacy staff failing to deal adequately with stressors put themselves and their patients at risk through mounting frustration, tiredness, burnout, and commission of errors.

Adults in the United States are reporting undesired weight changes, an increase in drinking, and other negative behavior changes that may be unhealthy coping mechanisms for prolonged stress, according to a survey conducted by the American Psychological Association (APA).

Adverse effects, such as strange dreams, insomnia, and sleep disorders may be more likely for patients with a history of cardiovascular health issues.

Among more than 11 million Medicare beneficiaries who were admitted during the 2-year study period, there were 174,901 admitted for ischemic stroke and 193,418 admitted for heart attack.

A recent research review found that a large proportion of COVID-19 survivors will be affected by neuropsychiatric and cognitive complications.

Discuss symptoms, treatment options, and adverse effects to help those who suffer adhere to their medication regimens.

Those whose waking time varies from day to day may find themselves in as much of a foul mood as those who stayed up extra late the night before, or who got up extra early that morning, according to the study authors.

Recreational substance use was associated with 1.5 to 3 times higher odds of heart disease, with stronger associations among young women.

The researchers wanted to analyze massive data shared on social networks to provide new opportunities to better understand the behavior of their users.

Of the types of drugs analyzed, tranquilizers were the most often misused, followed by stimulants, opioids, and sedatives.

Moreover, 9 in 10 adults say that they hope the country moves toward unity, according to Stress in America: January 2021 Stress Snapshot, conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of the American Psychological Association (APA).

The diagnosis and management of neurologic conditions can be more complex when patients are at the extremes of age.

Burnout often results from long hours, a highly regulated industry with a lot of change, and just the nature of health care in general.

The COVID-19 pandemic has escalated the burden of psychological distress, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, and insomnia.

Interventions to reduce suffering, restore connections with others, and maintain safety are essential, and normalizing conversations about suicidal ideation and suicide itself is important.

There has been a 25% increase in food insufficiency among Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a recent study.

The approach is being developed specifically as a potential treatment for the significant fraction of people with debilitating depression who do not respond to existing therapies and are at high risk of suicide.

Pharmacists can remind patients that seeking treatment helps those around them.

The increased risk may be due to changes in the brain’s dopamine system caused by dopamine receptor antagonists or neurobiological effects of schizophrenia.

First of its kind therapy combines 2 existing medications to battling debilitating methamphetamine use disorder.

Regular exercise and sufficient sleep can help strengthen the response to the COVID-19 vaccine.

The symptoms of depression in caregivers of patients with dementia exacerbates over time.

Depressive symptoms were lowest in young adults who slept 9.7 hours per night, and feelings of well-being were highest for those who slept 8 hours per night.

Pharmacy Times spoke with Angela Kashuba, Dean of UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy and Patrick Brown, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy Alumni, about the importance of preparing pharmacists and students to vaccinate the general public with the COVID-19 vaccine.

The processes involving the high prevalence of diagnosis and over prescription undoubtedly play a role, but it is possible that the infra-diagnosis and lower prescription rates in men could be a factor, according to the study authors.

The greater effect on population-wide alcohol use could be tied to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including widespread social disruption and isolation, limited social support and access to medical care, and negative domestic and global economic impacts.

Pharmacy schools are training students to recognize a mental health crisis and take action.

Study suggests psilocybin may be effective in a much wider population of patients suffering from major depression than previously believed.

Researchers suggest several modifications in the way health professionals manage patients with obesity during the COVID-19 pandemic.