An atypical antidepressant for atypical depression: Consider Wellbutrin if SSRIs have failed
Filed Under (eDrug News) by Admin on 31-08-2009
Major depressive disorder affects approximately 15 million American adults in the U.S. in a given year, and a first pharmacological line of defense is often a prescription for an SSRI such as Prozac, Celexa, or Zoloft. (These drugs have been favored since the late 1980s for the treatment of depression as they are generally well tolerated, have fewer side effects than their predecessors the MAOIs, and help a great many people.)
However, people suffering from atypical depression characterized by hunger and sleepiness, rather than loss of appetite and insomnia may have different needs in an antidepressant and should discuss with their doctor options such as Bupropion (familiarly known by its GlaxoSmithKline trade name, Wellbutrin), which could help where popular SSRIs might fail.
Having a particularly hard day at work? Getting stressed out? You might just be having an effect on your coworkers. According to recent research the sweat given off by a stressed individual may be causing those around you to become more aware and prepared for threat. Subjects in the study were exposed to sweat from two groups, one which consisted of first time skydivers and another came from a group that had run on a treadmill. While they were exposed to the sweat the subjects were studied with magnetic resonance imaging. While they did respond to the skydivers sweat with greater awareness its not believed that the response was caused by pheromones but rather a chemical secreted along with the sweat. Not much is known about the way humans interact based on pheromones or other chemicals that may be released to communicate danger and more research will be needed to verify if the same results would occur in another study group. Understanding these responses could help to regulate emergency situations if the reaction could be better understood, it could also help to improve focus in those who are sleep deprived or who are conducting a repetitive job.
According to new research by John Hopkins University, sleep apnea may put sufferers at a greater risk for chronic disease and death. During the study, which followed 6,400 men and women between the ages of 40 and 70 with the disorder for eight years, those with sever sleep apnea were 46% more likely to die earlier than those without the condition. Men with sleep apnea saw the risk of death nearly double and faced a much higher rate of cardiovascular disease. Those who had only mild apnea were not at greater risk of dying according to the research. These findings underline the need for treatment and prevention for the disorder which already places its sufferers at a greater risk for developing 