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New Drug Treatments for OCD

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is one of the most common psychiatric disorders in the world. Ever since researchers found that the drug clomipramine has positive treatment effects on the obsessive-compulsive individual, a host of new drugs have hit the market.

  1. Drugs for OCD

    • Today's most popularly prescribed medications for OCD include Anafranil, Luvox, Paxil, Prozac, Zoloft, and Effexor.

    Treatment Resistance

    • A number of individuals with obsessive compulsive disorder have not responded to traditional treatments. Fortunately, there is ongoing research for new medications, and combination "cocktails" to help these persons.

    Seroquel

    • In a very small study conducted by doctors Naomi Fineberg, Thanusha Sivakumaran, Anne Roberts, and Tim Gale of the Department of Psychiatry at Queen Elizabeth II Hospital, and published in the July 2005 Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, the doctors found that - in twenty-one treatment-resistant individuals - a small percentage may have been helped by combining the drug Seroquel with an SRI class of medication. Though it's too early, and the research too small at the time of this article, to determine whether this is a guaranteed effective treatment.

    Zyprexa

    • Another recent study - conducted by doctors Alexander Bystritsky, Deborah L. Ackerman, Richard M. Rosen, Tanya Vapnik, Eda Gorbis, Karron M. Maidment, and Sanjaya Saxena of the UCLA Clinical Department - combined the drug Zyprexa with an SSRI. Of the twenty-six patients, between the ages of eighteen and sixty-five, the result was a 46% effectiveness rate.

    Zofran

    • Zofran (ondansetron) has traditionally been used to treat nausea, but has been found to have some decent treatment results for the OCD person. One interesting study conducted by Doctors Hewlett, Schmid, and Salomon of the Department of Psychiatry at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and reported in the September 2003 Journal of Psychiatry, involved the increase of anxiety levels aroused by the perception of risk. In the study, 37% (or three) of eight of the people in the study responded well while using Zofran.

    Consulting a Professinal

    • Ultimately, when deciding to take medication for an SSRI, the obsessive compulsive individual should consult a doctor. Doctors have the most current information. Also, not all individuals respond to medications the same, resulting in various side effects, and necessitating close monitoring by a medical professional.

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