I
n this column, I would like to make the readership aware of two updates. The first has to do with the ongoing national shortages of methylphenidates and amphetamines. It is important for prescribers to know that, though there are shortages, there are many pharmacies with supplies, and it is a matter of tracking them down in particular regions. Often when the larger pharmacy chains do not have them, local pharmacies may have the agents in stock. The next update has to do with a recent safety alert by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the stimulant class, issued in December of 2011, regarding these agents' cardiovascular profiles. These were two large-scale epidemiologic studies and data from a total of more than 440,000 adults between the ages of 25 and 64 years were examined. Within the sample there were more than 150,000 adults treated with stimulants. One study examined heart attacks and sudden cardiac deaths, while the second assessed strokes. The study concluded that there was not an increased risk of serious cardiovascular events in adults treated with these agents. It is important to make sure accurate and detailed cardiovascular histories are obtained and that there is ongoing monitoring of side effects, especially cardiovascular complaints.
We are including an updated list of conferences for your consideration.
• The 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association will be held in Philadelphia, PA, from May 5–9, 2012, contact (888) 357–7924.
• The 2012 Annual Meeting of the NCDEU will be held in Phoenix, AZ from May 28–31, 2012, contact (703) 925–9455.
• The 59th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry will be held in San Francisco, CA from October 23–28, 2012, contact (202) 966–7300.
