CADTH Rapid Response Report: Antipsychotics for children and adolescents

Source: Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) Area: News This Rapid Response Report by the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) reviews the available evidence on the clinical benefits and harms of antipsychotics in the paediatric population and summarises evidence-based guidelines on their use in these patients.   A limited literature search of key resources was conducted for relevant articles, with the final selection limited to health technology assessments, systematic reviews and meta-analyses due to the large volume of literature. A total of 15 articles were included - 13 systematic reviews (one described in two articles) and one evidence-based guideline.    The key message of the authors was that second-generation (atypical) antipsychotics improve a variety of conditions in children and adolescents, but are associated with side effects (i.e., weight gain, elevated lipid and prolactin levels, and extrapyramidal side effects). Findings are based on shorter-term studies, and evidence ...
Source: NeLM - Mental Health - Category: Psychiatry Source Type: news