The volume presents the most important and practical information to prescribe lithium, valproate, carbamazepine and other anticonvulsants in psychiatric practice safely and successfully.

The information is ready to use and easy to remember and is focused primarily on clinically relevant issues such as preliminary laboratory evaluations, drug dosages, schedules, indications, contraindications, side effects and strategies to manage them. Clinical cases and clinical pearls are provided for each medication. The volume outlines the best strategies to choose psychotropic medications skillfully.

The book will be an invaluable reference for psychiatric residents and any other health care practitioner seeking for a tool that is simple, concise and immediately useful for everyday clinical practice. 

 

Andrea Fagiolini is Chairman, Chief of Medical Services, and Residency Training Director of the Department (DAI) of Mental Health and Division of Psychiatry, University of Siena School of Medicine, Italy. He received his medical training at the University of Pisa School of Medicine, Italy. After completing his psychiatric residency at the University of Modena, Italy, he spent more than 10 years at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School, USA, where he served as Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Medical Director of the Bipolar Disorder Center and the Depression and Manic Depression Prevention Program. His research interests focus on the treatment of mood and psychotic disorders, suicidality, functional impairment, and quality of life. He is the author or co-author of over 400 books and peer-reviewed articles serves on the editorial Board of several peer reviewed international journals. 

Alessandro Cuomo is a psychiatrist and PhD at the University of Siena School of Medicine. He has published several papers in international peer reviewed journals, primarily focusing on the treatment of mood and psychotic disorders. He has been co-investigator in several research studies, including phase 3 and phase 4 clinical trials. His research interests and publications have primarily focused on the treatment of major depressive and bipolar disorders, including pharmacological treatment during pregnancy, sequential treatment of mood disorders, role of vitamin D and microbiome in psychiatric diseases.

Roger McIntyre is a Professor of Psychiatry and Pharmacology at the University of Toronto and Head of the Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit at the University Health Network, Toronto, Canada. Dr. McIntyre is also Executive Director of the Brain and Cognition Discovery Foundation in Toronto, Canada. Dr. McIntyre is the CEO of Braxia Scientific Corp. Dr. McIntyre was named by Clarivate Analytics/Thomson Reuters in 2014-2021as one of "The World"s Most Influential Scientific Minds." Dr. McIntyre is involved in multiple research endeavors. Dr. McIntyre is a contributor to the Florida Best Practice Psychotherapeutic Medication Guidelines for Adults with Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Disorder. Dr. McIntyre was the co-chair of the Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) Task Force on the Treatment of Comorbidity in Adults with Major Depressive Disorder or Bipolar Disorder and as well a contributor to the CANMAT guidelines for the treatment of Depressive Disorders and Bipolar Disorders. Dr. McIntyre has authored/co-authored more than 750 articles/manuscripts and has edited and/or co-edited several textbooks on mood disorders.

Lithium: Indications. Pharmacokinetics. Pharmacodynamics. Drugs interactions. Side Effects and their management. Preliminary laboratory assessments. Dosage. Follow up laboratory assessment. Clinical Pearls. Clinical Case Presentation. Physical Examination.- Valproate: Indications. Pharmacokinetics. Pharmacodynamics. Drugs interactions. Side Effects and their management. Preliminary laboratory assessments. Dosage. Follow up laboratory assessments. Clinical Pearls. Clinical Case Presentation. Physical Examination. Carbamazepine: Indications. Pharmacokinetics. Pharmacodynamics. Drugs interactions. Side Effects and their management. Preliminary laboratory assessments. Dosage. Follow up laboratory assessments. Clinical Pearls. Clinical Case Presentation. Physical Examination.- Lamotrigine: Indications. Pharmacokinetics. Pharmacodynamics. Drugs interactions. Side Effects and their management Preliminary laboratory assessments. Dosage. Follow up laboratory assessments. Clinical Pearls. Clinical Case Presentation. Physical Examination.- Pregabalin: Indications. Pharmacokinetics. Pharmacodynamics. Drugs interactions. Side Effects and their management. Preliminary laboratory assessments. Dosage. Follow up laboratory assessments. Clinical Pearls. Clinical Case Presentation. Physical Examination.