Psychopharmacotherapy in liaison psychiatry

Abstract:

Psychopharmacological interventions are an important part of the management of medically ill patients with psychiatric disorders. Systematic research on the effectiveness of psychopharmacotherapy in liaison psychiatry settings is still very limited; therefore, the clinician has to carefully consider medical and psychiatric diagnoses and rely on the knowledge from clinical trials with patients who are not medically ill. The pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic drugdrug interactions and adverse effects of psychotropic agents have to be taken into account in the treatment of patients with psychiatric disorders in liaison psychiatry setting. All drugs for the treatment of psychiatric disorders can be used in liaison settings with specific considerations for medically ill patients. 

Key words:
drug interactions; pharmakokinetics; pharmacology; psychosomatic medicine; psychotropic drugs