Psychiatric diagnoses are primarily made by recognizing patterns of symptoms and clinical phenomenology, as outlined in DSM-IV-TR. Thus, the first critical steps in the identification of diagnoses are obtaining a thorough history, conducting a comprehensive mental status examination, and performing a focused physical examination. The results of these endeavors help focus attention on areas that need further diagnostic assessment and identify appropriate laboratory tests and procedures (including blood work, neuroimaging, and tests of electrophysiology) that will aid in assessment. When psychiatric symptoms are of acute onset, atypical in nature, or of late onset, or if there is a history of chronic medical illness, a medical cause (rather than primary psychiatric illness) should be suspected.

CME, 1.5 Credits    May 20, 2010

Psychiatric Times April 2010: Psychiatric Aspects of the Obesity Crisis

CME, 1.5 Credits    Apr 20, 2010

This enduring online activity is a spin-off of a live presentation at the 2009 U.S. Psychiatric and Mental Health Congress. The activity includes a streaming video and slide presentation captured from the live event, an original case challenge, and an interactive faculty forum.

The session will provide participants with strategies for improving rates of remission for major depressive disorder (MDD), including treatment resistant depression, along with combination and augmentation strategies for depression with atypical antipsychotics.

CME, 1.75 Credits    Dec 20, 2009

Pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD) is a serious psychiatric illness that impairs children’s emotional, cognitive, and social development. PBD causes severe mood instability that manifests in chronic irritability, episodes of rage, tearfulness, distractibility, grandiosity or inflated self-esteem, hypersexual behavior, a decreased need for sleep, and behavioral activation coupled with poor judgment. While research in this area has accelerated during the past 15 years, there are still significant gaps in knowledge concerning the prevalence, etiology, phenomenology, assessment, and treatment for PBD.

This article briefly summarizes the scientific evidence that has contributed to our understanding of this disorder. The research literature in the areas of prevalence, etiology, pathophysiology, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment is reviewed.

CME, 1.5 Credits    Dec 01, 2009

Every year one-third of the adults in the United States use 1 or more complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) modalities to treat a medical or psychiatric problem. It is estimated that 1 in 10 adults who see CAM practitioners does so primarily for a mental health problem. A large population survey found that receiving a diagnosis of a mood disorder is a strong predictor of CAM use. Another survey found that persons with major depressive disorder were significantly more likely to use CAM therapies than nondepressed persons. Almost two-thirds of psychiatrically hospitalized patients use at least 1 CAM modality before being hospitalized, and the majority self-treat depressed mood while failing to disclose CAM use to their psychiatrist or primary physician.

CME, 1.5 Credits    Oct 01, 2009

CME, 27.25 Credits    Oct 01, 2008