Description

Bipolar disorder and major depression are highly debilitating illnesses associated with significant morbidity, impairments in occupational and social functioning and increased risk of suicide. Patients will typically have some degree of symptomatic response to treatment, but often suffer from persisting residual symptoms that cause significant functional impairment, decreased quality of life, and increased risk of relapse. Partial improvement cannot be considered a successful treatment outcome; although difficult to attain, the goal of treatment should be remission—a full return to wellness.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this educational activity, participants should be able to:

  • Apply a comprehensive and effective treatment regimen (including the use of medication combinations, augmentation, and psychotherapy) for patients with major depression, with the goal of achieving remission.
  • Identify and address barriers to maintenance of remission in patients with major depression.

Target Audience

Psychiatrists, Primary Care Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, and Physician Assistants

Faculty

  • Jonathan E. Alpert, MD, PhD
    Associate Chief of Psychiatry for Clinical Services, MGH
    Associate Director, Depression Clinical and Research Program, MGH
    Joyce R. Tedlow Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

CME Information

Accreditation
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint sponsorship of McLean Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital Academy and Reed Medical Education. McLean Hospital is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education (CME) for physicians.

Credit Designation
McLean Hospital designates this continuing medical educational activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits(TM). Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Policy on Faculty and Provider Disclosure
It is the policy of McLean Hospital that faculty and providers disclose real or apparent conflicts of interest relating to the topics of this educational activity, and also disclose discussions of unlabeled/unapproved uses of drugs or devices during their presentation(s). McLean Hospital has established policies in place that will identify and resolve all conflicts of interest prior to this educational activity.

Planners

The following planners of this activity have indicated that neither they nor their families have a significant financial interest or affiliation with the manufacturer of any commercial products or provider of commercial services:

Robert J. Birnbaum, MD, PhD: Planner

John A. Fromson, MD: Planner, reviewer

Anan Nathif, EdM: Planner

Tristan Gorrindo, MD: Planner

Hardware/Software Specifications: 

This internet-based CME activity is best experienced using Internet Explorer 8+, Mozilla Firefox 3+, Safari 4+. This Web site requires that JavaScript and session cookies be enabled. Certain activities may require additional software to view multimedia, presentation, or printable versions of the content. These activities will be marked as such and will provide links to the required software. That software may be: Adobe Flash, Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Windows Media Player.

Optimal System Configuration:
Flash Player: Adobe Flash Player 10.1+
Browser: Firefox 3+, Internet Explorer 8.0+, Safari 4.0+, or Google Chrome 7.0+
Operating System: Windows XP+ or Mac OS X 10.4+
Internet Connection: 1 Mbps or higher

Minimum Requirements:
Windows PC:
500-MHz Pentium II; Windows XP or higher; 128 MB RAM; Video Card at least 64MB of video memory; Sound Card at least 16-bit; Macromedia Flash Player 10 or higher, audio playback with speakers for programs with video content; Firefox 1.1+, Internet Explorer 7.0+, Safari 1.0+, Google Chrome, or Opera
Macintosh:
Mac OS X 10.3 or higher with latest updates installed; 1.83MHz Intel Core Duo or faster; RAM: 128MB or more; Video Card: at least 64MB of video memory; Sound Card: at least 16-bit

Speakers

 

The following speakers and/or planners have reported receiving something of value from a company whose product may be germane to the content of their presentations:

Jonathan E. Alpert, MD, PhD

Research Support

Abbott Labs, Alkermes, Lichtwer Pharma GmbH, Lorex Pharmaceuticals, Aspect Medical Systems, Astra-Zeneca Pharmaceuticals, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Cephalon, Cyberonics, Eli Lilly & Co., Forest Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer Inc., Pharmavite, Roche Laboratories, Sanofi/Synthelabo, Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Wyeth-Ayerst Labs, GlaxoSmithKline, J&J Pharmaceuticals, Novartis, Organon Inc., and PamLab LLC.

Speaking/Honoraria

Eli Lilly & Co., Janssen Pharmaceuticals, and Organon Inc..

Advisory/Consulting

Pharmavite, Eli Lilly & Co., and PamLab LLC.

Last updated: 7/27/2010

 

Supporters

Location

online