Quote:
Originally Posted by bravotwozero
Isn't that kind of risky? If the drug in question is 'unapproved', then it's effects, as well as its SIDE EFFECTS have not been studied. Is is really a good idea to prescribe drugs when you don't really know what side effects it can cause?
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Well, like I said, they don't go around thinking "well, I have NO IDEA what this pill does but what they hey, let's give it a shot."
They operate based on principles and on how the pill is used in other contexts. You might know that the drug stimulates particular receptors or has certain physiological effects that are desirable for what you are treating. Remember also that doctors frequently rely on their clinical experience when they make judgments about how to choose medications and dose them. If you read the literature about sedative-hypnotic medications, it won't be emphasized to you that Ambien can make people psychotic. If anything, it is billed as one of the safest drugs for sleep that is available, with mild or very tolerable side effects. However, from experience, I know that it can literally make people insane, so I have to be reasonably confident that a patient of mine is in good shape before I am willing to give it to them.
Another example: quetiapine is on many occasions used as a sleeping pill, sometimes for people who may have psychotic features in their behaviour. To my knowledge, it has not been studied and "approved" for that use, but we know that one of the side-effects of quetiapine is drowsiness so in this case we merely change our definitions and make a "side-effect" the primary desired effect of the drug.