A computerised sampling strategy for therapeutic drug monitoring of lithium provides precise estimates and significantly reduces dose-finding time.

The clinical benefit of implementing Bayesian approach for lithium drug monitoring was evaluated. Intervention group (N = 42) and historical control group (N = 55) patients were each divided into two groups: Dosage with immediate-release lithium carbonate or a sustained-release formulation, lithium citrate. Bayesian approach was performed in the intervention groups, and estimation of lithium steady-state trough concentration was obtained from non-steady-state blood sample, collected about 12 hr after the first lithium study dose.

Glycopyrrolate prevents extreme bradycardia and cerebral deoxygenation during electroconvulsive therapy.

The stimulation phase of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) induces bradycardia. We evaluated the effect of this bradycardia on cerebral perfusion and oxygenation by administration of the anticholinergic drug glycopyrrolate (Glp). Cerebral perfusion was estimated by transcranial ultrasound in the middle cerebral artery reporting the mean flow velocity (middle cerebral artery [MCA] V(mean)), and cerebral oxygenation was determined by near-infrared spectroscopy of the frontal lobe.

[Electroconvulsive therapy in Denmark 1999. A nation-wide questionnaire study].

Introduction: The use of ECT in Denmark has not been systematically evaluated since 1979. Many changes have since taken place in the organisation of psychiatric care and the number of new drugs for the treatment of affective disorders has grown. We wanted to see whether the frequency of treatments and the technical standard of ECT had undergone changes in the same period.