Although the excitement generated by the availability of new chemical entities and novel drug delivery strategies in psychiatry is warranted, it is important that clinicians consider new information about drugs already in widespread use for common psychiatric illnesses. Continued, widespread use allows the development of a more comprehensive picture of the safety profile of drugs. Those working in psychiatry would also be familiar with the notion that not all drugs with relevance to the field of psychiatry are prescribed for therapeutic purposes: the effects of recreational drug use can have devastating consequences for patients with a mental illness. This review examines newly available information about the adverse effects and drug interactions of drugs that have been in use for quite some time, examines a new indication for an antiepileptic drug, and finally, focuses attention upon a recreational drug that is finding increasing use in Australia and elsewhere. (non-author abstract)
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