• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.156-161
• /
• 1996

Many pregnant women have to receive psychotropic medication during pregnancy and lactation period, despite the proven and assumed risks to the fetus ar neonate. A brief summary of drug metabolism and pharmacodynamics is given. Principles and quidelines of using psychotropic agents during pregancy and lactation period are presented for psychotic disorders, bipolar affective disorders. depression and anxiety disorders, with due consideration for relative benefits and risks of choosing among psychotropic drugs and alternative treatments.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.12-16
• /
• 2008

Light therapy (also called light treatment or phototherapy) involves scheduled exposure to bright artificial light. Evidence-based treatments for sleep disorders especially for circadian rhythm sleep disorders include light therapy and pharmacotherapy. In clinical practice, many of patients with sleep problems tend to impair circadian rhythmicity. Considering that light is the most potent entraining agent of circadian rhythm, careful use of light therapy can be recommended for patients with several kinds of sleep disorders. I briefly review the possible therapeutic mechanisms and clinical applications of light therapy, focusing on circadian sleep disorders.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.86-95
• /
• 2002

Various sleep-related problems are common in pregnant women. Sleep disorders may result in intrauterine growth restriction as well as harm to pregnant women. Pharmacotherapy of sleep disorders in pregnancy require cautious judgement. All physicians managing sleep-related problems of pregnant women in clinical practice need to understand sleep-related problems and their management in pregnancy. Therefore, I have reviewed the literature on normal sleep, sleep disorders and their management in pregnancy.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.14-19
• /
• 2014

Objectives : This study was conducted in order to describe prescribing practices in treatment of pediatric bipolar disorder in a Korean inpatient sample. Methods : We performed a retrospective chart review of 66 youths who had been hospitalized and diagnosed with bipolar disorder according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition criteria. Demographics, clinical characteristics, medications used, doses, and related adverse events were examined. Results : Mood stabilizers and/or atypical antipsychotic medications were the primary treatment. Risperidone, valproate, and lithium were the most commonly used. Thirty seven patients (58.1%) were treated with combination therapy of an atypical antipsychotic and mood stabilizer for improvement of manic/mixed symptoms. Conclusion : Combination pharmacotherapy was necessary for most patients in this admission sample group. Conduct of further studies will be needed for evaluation of treatment response according to the clinical characteristics, and the safety and efficacy of treatment for child and adolescent bipolar disorder.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.70-83
• /
• 2017

The objective of this review is the revision of the Korean practice parameters for the pharmacological treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) based on the change in the diagnostic system from DSM-IV-TR to DSM-5 and psychopharmacological developments. For the evidence-based approach, the authors conducted a review of the literature, including controlled clinical trials, studies of the side effects of drugs, toxicology and meta-analyses from the United States and Europe, as well as recent research conducted in Korea. The review committee composed of Korean experts on ADHD reviewed the revised parameters. This revised version reveals how to use central nervous system psychostimulants, non-stimulants such as atomoxetine and alpha2 agonists, and other medication for ADHD, and how to manage the adverse effects of such medication. At the end of this revised version, the authors propose recommendations for the pharmacotherapy of ADHD.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.348-352
• /
• 2009

Over the last decade, the incidence of overweight and obesity has nearly doubled in many countries and is considered a pandemic. Obesity was identified as a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease as the same level as smoking and diabetes. Visceral fat is considered one of the key contributors to outcome and certain ethnic groups such as Asians seem to be more affected than others. Weight reduction through lifestyle changes was found to be impactful to improve overall health, but weight loss and maintenance thereof is limited and difficult to sustain. Surgical intervention demonstrated a greater weight loss in the severely obese and was associated with improved all-cause mortality. Despite numerous pharmacological targets and a high medical need, only few drugs have been successfully developed. Earlier studies with amphetamine-derived compounds showed significant weight loss but their critical safety profiles led to market withdrawals and disappointment. More recent compounds; orlistat - a lipase inhibitor, rimonabant - a cannaboid-1-receptor antagonist, and sibutramine - a combined serotonin/norepinephrine re-uptake inhibitor, all demonstrated similar significant efficacy; however, they carry specific safety profiles making them unsuitable for every patient. The main limitation of pharmacotherapy is the absence of clear benefit-risk assessments through outcome studies. Such a study - the SCOUT trial - was designed to compare sibutramine versus placebo and the effect on morbidity and mortality in nearly 10,000 obese patients with additional risk factors. Such studies could provide new scientific evidence for obesity treatment and may support future pharmacological approaches.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.139-146
• /
• 2011

Neuropathic pain is defined by "pain is initiated or caused by primary lesion or dysfunction in the nervous system" and several etiologic conditions can induce the neuropathic pains. Various groups of drugs are used to treat the neuropathic pains. Not depending on anecdotal case or habitual choice, to obtain the more effective pharmacotherapy, relative-comparison index is suggested through multiple analyses of clinical trials. Depending on relative-comparison index, first-line medications and second-line medications for neuropathic pain are recommended. To support the Quality of life in patients, selection of medication is made on such recommendations.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.59 no.1
• /
• pp.23-28
• /
• 2015

Everyone has own color preference and the color preference can affect human psychology in various good or bad ways. Especially patients with chronic diseases often have depressed mood to take pills for their disease treatment. Therefore we evaluate the possibility of their color preference to pharmacotherapy in good way which increases the compliance of pharmacotherapy. We performed this study by a Questionnaire survey for total 150 agreed patients at K University hospital from Aug 7 to Sep 30, 2014. Questionnaire survey was performed to choose color of providing color kit (11 different color range kit) depend on each 16 questions which asked the patient characteristics, health condition, general color preference, color preference for medicine and expectation for drug compliance. In results, most preferred color was blue (20%), whereas disliked color was black (30%) in general life. However, most preferred color for pill was white (32%), for syrup was also white (31%) or orange (28%), and for vitamin was yellow (47%). When we asked the possibility of increasing compliance, if the current taking pill color will be changed for your preference color like a candy bar, 50.4% of respondents marked 4 or 5 of like-scale expressing positive opinion on it. In conclusion, compliance is very important to succeed the treating disease and may apply the psychologic application such as each patient color preference for drug compliance in the future.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.53 no.1
• /
• pp.25-33
• /
• 2009

Metabolic syndrome is increasing nowadays and one of causes is obesity. Therefore prevention and treatment of obesity is very important to decrease of Metabolic syndrome. However currently many pharmacotherapy for obesity are popular in Korea and it may be dangerous. The aim of this study is to evaluate the purpose and relevance of obese treatment in two areas (capital & local) of Korea and suggest to guide for the right directions of pharmacotherapy in obesity treatment. We selected and surveyed 90 patients (88 females, 2 males, age of $23{\sim}60$) at random who received a prescription after consulting with a doctor at several clinics of Cheongju-area and Seoul-area, from May thru June, 2007. And we evaluated their prescriptions. In results, only 26.7% were obese (13.3%, 2325), most 73.3% patients were normal (65.6%, 18.5$m^2$). The purpose of treatment was for appearance (38.9%), health (41.1%) or both (18.9%, p<0.01). 94% patients had the past history of obese treatment. Prescriptions were consisted of CNS stimulant, anticonvulsants, antidepressant, laxatives, diuretics, or antianxietics. Obese treatment is very important for health to prevent disease such as Metabolic Syndrome. However it should not be abused. In conclusion, some patients of obese treatment is not relevant to obesity and pharmacist role is important to guide them for the right directions in obesity treatment.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.171-177
• /
• 2015

Background: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA), one of alopecias, requires continuous treatment in order to prevent or stop it, and patient's compliance is very important. Currently, only two drugs (finasteride, minoxidil) have been approved for AGA by Food and Drug Administration of United States (US FDA). However, another ${\alpha}-2$ reductase inhibitor, dutasteride, is approved by Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) through a phase III trial. For treatment, pharmacotherapy of AGA usually combines topical minoxidil 7% with one of oral <${\alpha}-2$ reductase inhibitor. Objectives: We evaluated the comparative efficacy and adverse effect between topical minoxidil 7%/finasteride 1 mg and topical minoxidil 7%/dutasteride 0.5 mg pharmacotherapy for outpatients with AGA. Also we evaluated the relationship between therapeutic effect and regular hospital visit. Method: This study was performed retrospectively based on electronic medical record (EMR) data of total 98 patients (topical minoxidil 7% with dutasteride 0.5 mg ($Avodart^{(R)}$) or finasteride 1 mg ($Alopecia^{(R)}$, $Propecia^{(R)}$) with diagnosis of AGA from department of dermatology at a secondary hospital from January $1^{st}$, to May $31^{st}$, 2014. Results: The efficacy and adverse event of topical minoxidil 7%/dutasteride 0.5 mg (DUTA group) were 100% and 45.7%, and of topical minoxidil 7%/finasteride 1 mg (FINA group) were 92.1% and 33.3%, respectively. The mean onset time of responses and adverse events in the FINA group were 3.86 months and 4.43 months. Those in the DUTA group were 3.97 months and 5.06 months. Conclusion: Both FINA and DUTA group were highly effective, but the DUTA group showed higher efficacy and adverse effects than those in the FINA group. Dutasteride may be another alternative in AGA treatment.