New Veterans Health Bill Improves Medical Service to Female Veterans

President Obama Signs Veterans' Health Bill That Includes Improvement In Women's Services 05/08/2010.  The bill, called the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act, expands mental health and counseling services to veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, including to members of the National Guards and reservists (Wilson, "44," Washington Post, 5/5). The bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to train mental health professionals in caring for military women who have survived sexual trauma. According to Time, one in five military women experience sexual trauma, which increases their risk of post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health problems by almost 60%.  Medical News Today

New PubMed Articles 08 May 2010

1.

Measuring patient satisfaction in the pharmacy specialty immunization clinic: a pharmacist-run Immunization Clinic at the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System.

Bounthavong M, Christopher ML, Mendes MA, Foster EB, Johns ST, Lim L, Rubin LM, Patel JJ, Stewart AG.

Int J Pharm Pract. 2010 Apr;18(2):100-7.PMID: 20441119 [PubMed - in process]

2.

Military combat and risk of coronary heart disease and ischemic stroke in aging men: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study.

Johnson AM, Rose KM, Elder GH Jr, Chambless LE, Kaufman JS, Heiss G.

Ann Epidemiol. 2010 Feb;20(2):143-50.PMID: 20123165 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

3.

The Impact of a "Low-intensity" Versus "High-Intensity" Medical Intensive Care Unit on Patient Outcomes in Critically Ill Veterans.

Singer J, Kohlwes J, Bent S, Zimmerman L, Eisner M.

J Intensive Care Med. 2010 May 5. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 20444736 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

4.

Preliminary description of the feasibility of using peer leaders to encourage hypertension self-management.

Hayes A, Morzinski J, Ertl K, Wurm C, Patterson L, Wilke N, Whittle J.

WMJ. 2010 Apr;109(2):85-90.PMID: 20443327 [PubMed - in process]

5.

The educational and career impact of using medical students for triaging off-hour diagnostic imaging requests at a major academic medical center.

Kennedy S, Knibutat DB, DelBasso SL, Bokhari SA, Forman HP.

AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2010 Apr;194(4):1027-33.PMID: 20308506 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

6.

Structure-function correlations using scanning laser polarimetry in primary angle-closure glaucoma and primary open-angle glaucoma.

Lee PJ, Liu CJ, Wojciechowski R, Bailey-Wilson JE, Cheng CY.

Am J Ophthalmol. 2010 May;149(5):817-25.e1. Epub 2010 Mar 4.PMID: 20202618 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

7.

Using VistA electronic medical record data extracts to calculate the waiting time for total knee arthroplasty.

Hussain T, Bell B, Brandt C, Nuzzo J, Erdos JJ.

J Arthroplasty. 2010 Feb;25(2):213-5. Epub 2009 Dec 21.PMID: 20022459 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

Army Major Shares His Personal Battle With PTSD

Battling PTSD: Major Shares His Story 05/08/2010. Ryan Kranc was traveling with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment near Ramadi, Iraq, on July 23, 2003, when his convoy was hit with an improvised explosive device. Kranc, now an Army major, survived. His commander, his friend, Capt. Josh T. Byers, did not. Six years and two full combat tours later, Kranc committed himself to recovering from the emotional wounds sustained on that day in 2003. Health.mil

VA Performs Comprehensive Review of Inpatient Surgery Programs

VA Initiative Enhances Safety of Inpatient Surgery Services 05/08/2010.The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the nation's largest health care system, today announced measures to ensure that all inpatient surgeries are performed under the safest possible conditions at facilities with the resources to support them.VA is the first hospital system to conduct a comprehensive review to determine what level of inpatient surgeries may be performed in each of its 112 surgery programs.  “VA began this major undertaking in 2007 to close and prevent gaps in surgical care,” said Dr. Robert Petzel, VA's Under Secretary of Health. “Our mission is to provide the best health care to Veterans, and we are determined to meet uncompromising standards for inpatient surgery.” VA

Open Source Path to VistA 2.0?

Report: VA should take open source path to VistA 2.0 05/08/2010. The Veterans Affairs Department should adopt an open source, open standards approach to developing the next generation of its VistA electronic medical record, according to an industry group tapped by the VA to recommend ways to modernize the clinically praised health IT system.

The VA Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture, or VistA, is an integrated EMR system which that was written in vintage MUMPS code and tweaked and upgraded over the last 32 years. While highly regarded by clinicians, its decentralized architecture has made it costly and complex to maintain and upgrade. The report can be obtained online here.   Government Health IT

Medical Applications for iPhone and iPad

Apple is actively recruiting health care providers at their retail stores 05/07/2010.  When I recently walked into my local Apple store to buy an iPad accessory, I saw a group of about 20 people huddled around a large LCD screen while an Apple employee was giving a workshop. When I saw the LCD screen full of medical applications (picture on the left), I was shocked.  This wasn’t your run of the mill “how to use your iPhone” workshop.


The people gathered for the workshop consisted of healthcare professionals in medicine, dentistry, and other fields.  About a third of the group consisted of physicians.  The workshop was focused on how the iPhone and iPad can be useful for their practices and as reference tools for day to day work.  iMedicalApps

New PubMed Articles 07 May 2010

1.

Safety of herpes zoster vaccine in the shingles prevention study: a randomized trial.

Simberkoff MS, Arbeit RD, Johnson GR, Oxman MN, Boardman KD, Williams HM, Levin MJ, Schmader KE, Gelb LD, Keay S, Neuzil K, Greenberg RN, Griffin MR, Davis LE, Morrison VA, Annunziato PW; Shingles Prevention Study Group.

Ann Intern Med. 2010 May 4;152(9):545-54.PMID: 20439572 [PubMed - in process]Related citations

2.

Characteristics of patients with bipolar disorder managed in VA primary care or specialty mental health care settings.

Kilbourne AM, Goodrich D, Miklowitz DJ, Austin K, Post EP, Bauer MS.

Psychiatr Serv. 2010 May;61(5):500-7.PMID: 20439372 [PubMed - in process]Related citations

3.

Anti-CCP antibody and rheumatoid factor concentrations predict greater disease activity in men with rheumatoid arthritis.

Miriovsky BJ, Michaud K, Thiele GM, O'Dell JR, Cannon GW, Kerr G, Richards JS, Johnson D, Caplan L, Reimold A, Hooker R, Mikuls TR.

Ann Rheum Dis. 2010 May 3. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 20439294 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]Related citations

4.

Perceived difficulty quitting predicts enrollment in a smoking-cessation program for patients with head and neck cancer.

Duffy SA, Scheumann AL, Fowler KE, Darling-Fisher C, Terrell JE.

Oncol Nurs Forum. 2010 May;37(3):349-56.PMID: 20439219 [PubMed - in process]Related citations

5.

Test acceptability and confidence levels in older adults referred for fitness-to-drive evaluations.

Dalchow JL, Niewoehner PM, Henderson RR, Carr DB.

Am J Occup Ther. 2010 Mar-Apr;64(2):252-8.PMID: 20437912 [PubMed - in process]Related citations

6.

Aggression in war veterans suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder with co-morbid alcoholism.

Babić D, Martinac M, Bjelanović V, Babić R, Sutović A, Sinanović O.

Coll Antropol. 2010 Mar;34 Suppl 1:23-8.PMID: 20402291 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

7.

Caregiver burden and burnout in partners of war veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Klarić M, Francisković T, Pernar M, Nembić Moro I, Milićević R, Cerni Obrdalj E, Salcin Satriano A.

Coll Antropol. 2010 Mar;34 Suppl 1:15-21.PMID: 20402290 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

8.

Choice of initial antiepileptic drug for older veterans: possible pharmacokinetic drug interactions with existing medications.

Pugh MJ, Vancott AC, Steinman MA, Mortensen EM, Amuan ME, Wang CP, Knoefel JE, Berlowitz DR.

J Am Geriatr Soc. 2010 Mar;58(3):465-71.PMID: 20398114 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

9.

Long-term effectiveness of screening for hearing loss: the screening for auditory impairment--which hearing assessment test (SAI-WHAT) randomized trial.

Yueh B, Collins MP, Souza PE, Boyko EJ, Loovis CF, Heagerty PJ, Liu CF, Hedrick SC.

J Am Geriatr Soc. 2010 Mar;58(3):427-34.PMID: 20398111 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

10.

Race, outpatient mental health service use, and survival after an AIDS diagnosis in the highly active antiretroviral therapy era.

Mkanta WN, Mejia MC, Duncan RP.

AIDS Patient Care STDS. 2010 Jan;24(1):31-7.PMID: 20095900 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

VA Limits Types of Surgeries at Some of its Hospitals Due to Deaths

Following deaths in southern Illinois, VA limit types of surgeries at some of its hospitals 05/06/2010. The Veterans Affairs Department is limiting the types of surgeries performed at some of its hospitals following a system-wide review prompted by surgical deaths at its southern Illinois hospital.

Under a new system, the VA has given each hospital a "surgical complexity" level. Because of that, hospitals in at least five states will now only perform less-complicated surgeries. The hospitals are in Alexandria, La.; Beckley, W.Va.; Fayetteville, N.C.; Danville, Ill.; and Spokane, Wash.  LA Times via AP

VA and DoD Collaborate to Treat Traumatic Brain Injuries

Defense, VA Expand Work on Traumatic Brain Injuries 05/05/2010. The departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs have greatly expanded care for servicemembers and veterans with traumatic brain injuries from the battlefield after they’re discharged from rehabilitation centers, officials said today. Defense.gov

New PubMed Articles 05 May 2010

1.

Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and risk of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke in the Australian veteran community.

Mangoni AA, Woodman RJ, Gilbert AL, Knights KM.

Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf. 2010 May;19(5):490-8.PMID: 20437458 [PubMed - in process]Related citations

2.

A pilot study examining effects of group-based Cognitive Strategy Training treatment on self-reported cognitive problems, psychiatric symptoms, functioning, and compensatory strategy use in OIF/OEF combat veterans with persistent mild cognitive disorder and history of traumatic brain injury.

Huckans M, Pavawalla S, Demadura T, Kolessar M, Seelye A, Roost N, Twamley EW, Storzbach D.

J Rehabil Res Dev. 2010;47(1):43-60.PMID: 20437326 [PubMed - in process]Free ArticleRelated citations

3.

Management of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom veterans in a Veterans Health Administration chiropractic clinic: a case series.

Lisi AJ.

J Rehabil Res Dev. 2010;47(1):1-6.PMID: 20437322 [PubMed - in process]Free ArticleRelated citations

4.

Preexisting comorbid psychiatric conditions and mortality in nonsurgical intensive care patients.

Abrams TE, Vaughan-Sarrazin M, Rosenthal GE.

Am J Crit Care. 2010 May;19(3):241-9.PMID: 20436063 [PubMed - in process]Related citations

5.

Post-traumatic stress disorder and vision.

Trachtman JN.

Optometry. 2010 May;81(5):240-52.PMID: 20435270 [PubMed - in process]Related citations

6.

Anxiety disorders increase risk for incident myocardial infarction in depressed and nondepressed Veterans Administration patients.

Scherrer JF, Chrusciel T, Zeringue A, Garfield LD, Hauptman PJ, Lustman PJ, Freedland KE, Carney RM, Bucholz KK, Owen R, True WR.

Am Heart J. 2010 May;159(5):772-9.PMID: 20435185 [PubMed - in process]Related citations

7.

Design features that affect the maneuverability of wheelchairs and scooters.

Koontz AM, Brindle ED, Kankipati P, Feathers D, Cooper RA.

Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2010 May;91(5):759-64.PMID: 20434614 [PubMed - in process]Related citations

8.

Approach of Empirical Antibiotic Treatment: Analyzing Bacterial Resistance of Community-acquired Bacteremia.

Young TG, Chen YS, Yen MY.

J Microbiol Immunol Infect. 2010 Feb;43(1):43-46. Epub 2010 Mar 29.PMID: 20434122 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]Free ArticleRelated citations

9.

Risk factors for homelessness among women veterans.

Washington DL, Yano EM, McGuire J, Hines V, Lee M, Gelberg L.

J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2010 Feb;21(1):82-91.PMID: 20173257 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

10.

Investigating the risk of cancer in 1990-1991 US Gulf War veterans with the use of state cancer registry data.

Young HA, Maillard JD, Levine PH, Simmens SJ, Mahan CM, Kang HK.

Ann Epidemiol. 2010 Apr;20(4):265-272.e1. Epub 2010 Jan 29.PMID: 20116284 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

11.

[Traumatic stress and personal characteristics of participants in combat operations]

Iakushkin NV.

Voen Med Zh. 2009 Oct;330(10):14-9. Russian. PMID: 20017365 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

New VAOIG Report on the VA's Uniform Mental Health Services Handbook

Healthcare Inspection Progress in Implementing the Veterans Health Administration’s Uniform Mental Health Services Handbook Report Number 08-02917-145, 5/4/2010 | Summary | Report (PDF)

National Vietnam Veterans Longitudinal Study

VA Health Care: Status of VA's Approach in Conducting the National Vietnam Veterans Longitudinal Study. GAO-10-578R

VA Health Care: Progress and Challenges in Conducting the National Vietnam Veterans Longitudinal Study, by Randall B. Williamson, director, health care, before the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. GAO-10-658T

VA Makes It Easier to Apply for Benefits Online

VA Updates Online Application for Health Benefits 05/05/2010.  Veterans will find it easier and faster to apply for their health care benefits now that the Department of Veterans Affairs has updated its online Form 10-10EZ, “Application for Health Benefits.” VA

Remarks by the President at Signing of Caregives and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act

Expanding Support for Veterans’ Caregivers 05/05/2010. On Wednesday, President Obama signed an Act which makes a stipend, health insurance, and expanded training and counseling available to the caregivers of Veterans who were severely injured in the line of duty after 9/11. White House

Unplugged Computer at Philadelphia VA Affected Treatment of Prostate Cancer Patients

Unplugged VA computer affects treatment of cancer patients 05/05/2010. It took officials at a Veterans Affairs Department hospital in Philadelphia more than a year to learn that a computer used to assess patient's response to treatments for prostate cancer had been unplugged, delaying assessments, according to an inspector general report released on Monday.  Nextgov

PTSD Diagnosis Issues

PTSD fraud cases growing? 05/05/2010. Moved by a huge tide of troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with post-traumatic stress, Congress has pressured the Department of Veterans Affairs to settle their disability claims - quickly, humanely, and mostly in the vets' favor. The problem: The system is dysfunctional, an open invitation to fraud. And the VA has proposed changes that could make deception even easier. Chicago Defender via AP

iScrub Monitors Hand Washing Among Health Care Providers

Do health care professionals perform hand hygiene? UI has an app for that 05/05/2010.  One of the most common causes of preventable health care-associated infections is poor hand hygiene. iScrub Lite 1.5, an iPhone and iPod touch application developed at the University of Iowa, makes monitoring hand hygiene compliance more efficient and accurate.  University of Iowa

New PubMed Articles 04 May 2010

1.

Prognostic Differences for Functional Recovery After Major Lower Limb Amputation: Effects of the Timing and Type of Inpatient Rehabilitation Services in the Veterans Health Administration.

Stineman MG, Kwong PL, Xie D, Kurichi JE, Ripley DC, Brooks DM, Bidelspach DE, Bates BE.

PM R. 2010 Apr;2(4):232-243.PMID: 20430324 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]Related citations

2.

Disparities in health-related internet use by US veterans: results from a national survey.

McInnes DK, Gifford AL, Kazis LE, Wagner TH.

Inform Prim Care. 2010;18(1):59-68.PMID: 20429979 [PubMed - in process]Related citations

3.

The impact of self-reported arthritis and diabetes on response to a home-based physical activity counselling intervention.

Huffman KM, Sloane R, Peterson MJ, Bosworth HB, Ekelund C, Pearson M, Howard T, Pieper CF, Morey MC.

Scand J Rheumatol. 2010 May;39(3):233-9.PMID: 20429674 [PubMed - in process]Related citations

4.

Medical therapy for major depressive disorder in Latinos.

Podawiltz A, Culpepper L.

J Clin Psychiatry. 2010 Apr;71(4):e08. Review.PMID: 20409442 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

5.

Auditory pseudohallucinations in United Kingdom war veterans and civilians with posttraumatic stress disorder.

Brewin CR, Patel T.

J Clin Psychiatry. 2010 Apr;71(4):419-25. Epub 2010 Mar 9.PMID: 20361915 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

6.

Testing for vitamin D deficiency in veterans-is there a seasonal bias?

Peiris AN, Bailey B, Manning T, Kuriacose R, Copeland R, Garrett L.

J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2010 Feb;11(2):128-31. Epub 2010 Jan 12.PMID: 20142068 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

7.

All-cause mortality rates of hip fractures treated in the VHA: do they differ from Medicare facilities?

Lapcevic WA, French DD, Campbell RR.

J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2010 Feb;11(2):116-9. Epub 2010 Jan 6.PMID: 20142066 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

New Telemedicine Potentials for Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA)

Press Releases GlobalMedia's CapSure Validated To Help Veterans 05/04/2010. GlobalMedia Group, LLC, announced today that its CapSure® Store and Forward DICOM image automation software has been validated for use within the Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA) PACS servers following rigorous testing of this solution within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' electronic healthcare records (EHR) system. CIO Today

PTSD May Involve Changes in The Way Some Genes Function

Trauma-induced changes to genes may lead to PTSD 05/04/2010.  A study by researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health suggests that traumatic experiences "biologically embed" themselves in select genes, altering their functions and leading to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

"Our findings suggest a new biological model of PTSD in which alteration of genes, induced by a traumatic event, changes a person's stress response and leads to the disorder," said Sandro Galea, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health, and principal investigator.

"Identification of the biologic underpinnings of PTSD will be crucial for developing appropriate psychological and/or pharmacological interventions, particularly in the wake of an increasing number of military veterans returning home following recent wars worldwide." 

The findings are published today online in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health via Eurekalert!

Problems With Pay-for Performance

Public Release: 4-May-2010
Health Affairs
Pay-for-performance programs may worsen medical disparities, study finds
Rewarding primary care physicians for providing better care to patients could end up widening medical disparities experienced by poorer people and those belonging to racial and ethnic minorities, according to a new study. Researchers found that under a typical pay-for-performance program medical practices that serve vulnerable populations would likely receive lower payments than other practices. RAND Corporation via Eurekalert!

Young Veterans at Risk for Violent Deaths at Home, Especially Suicide.

Return home from war not always peaceful for young vets 05/04/2010.  When young servicemen and women return home from a tour of duty, their family and friends breathe a sigh of relief, knowing their loved ones finally are safe and sound. New research, however, shows that is not always the case. Young veterans are at risk for violent deaths at home, especially suicide. American Academy of Pediatrics via   Eurekalert!

New PubMed Articles 03 May 2010

1.

Effect of Trajectories of Glycemic Control on Mortality in Type 2 Diabetes: A Semiparametric Joint Modeling Approach.

Gebregziabher M, Egede LE, Lynch CP, Echols C, Zhao Y.

Am J Epidemiol. 2010 Apr 27. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 20427326 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]Related citations

2.

Barrett's surveillance identifies patients with early esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Wong T, Tian J, Nagar AB.

Am J Med. 2010 May;123(5):462-7.PMID: 20399324 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

3.

Letter to the editor and response. Re: Production of illicit drugs, the environment, and human health, J of Toxicology and Environmental Medicine 2009;72 (15-16).

Gomez JG.

J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2010 Jan;73(9):581; author reply 581-2. No abstract available. PMID: 20391137 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

4.

Evidence of poorer life-course mental health outcomes among veterans of the Korean War cohort.

Brooks MS, Fulton L.

Aging Ment Health. 2010 Mar;14(2):177-83.PMID: 20336549 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

5.

The relationship between religious involvement and clinical status of patients with bipolar disorder.

Cruz M, Pincus HA, Welsh DE, Greenwald D, Lasky E, Kilbourne AM.

Bipolar Disord. 2010 Feb;12(1):68-76.PMID: 20148868 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Free PMC ArticleFree textRelated citations

6.

Predialysis nephrology care among older veterans using Department of Veterans Affairs or Medicare-covered services.

Fischer MJ, Stroupe KT, Kaufman JS, O'Hare AM, Browning MM, Huo Z, Hynes DM.

Am J Manag Care. 2010 Feb 1;16(2):e57-66.PMID: 20148611 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Free ArticleRelated citations

7.

Can we predict daily adherence to warfarin?: Results from the International Normalized Ratio Adherence and Genetics (IN-RANGE) Study.

Platt AB, Localio AR, Brensinger CM, Cruess DG, Christie JD, Gross R, Parker CS, Price M, Metlay JP, Cohen A, Newcomb CW, Strom BL, Laskin MS, Kimmel SE.

Chest. 2010 Apr;137(4):883-9. Epub 2009 Nov 10.PMID: 19903973 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations

New VAOIG Report on Brachytherapy

Healthcare Inspection Review of Brachytherapy Treatment of Prostate Cancer, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Other VA Medical Centers.  Report Number 09-02815-143, 5/3/2010 | Summary | Report (PDF)

GAO Report: Improved Training Needed for VA Claims Processors

Veterans' Disability Benefits: Expanded Oversight Would Improve Training for Experienced Claims Processors 05/03/2010.  The Veterans’ Benefits Improvement Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-389) mandated that GAO evaluate the Department of Veterans Affairs VA training for disability claims processors. This report answers the following two questions: (1) How appropriate is the training provided to experienced disability claims processors? (2) How adequate is the Veterans Benefits Administration’s (VBA) monitoring and assessment of this training? To address these questions, GAO conducted a web-based survey of a nationally representative sample of claims processors, interviewed VBA headquarters and regional office officials, and reviewed VBA training material, relevant federal statutes, regulations, and court cases. GAO

Bug Between DoD and VA Health Records Exchange Has Been Disovered

VA finds bug that caused mix-up in health exchange system 05/03/2010. The Veterans Affairs Department discovered on Tuesday the software bugs that led to instances of doctors receiving the wrong patient data when they accessed electronic medical information shared with the Defense Department. 05/03/2010. Nextgov

VA Disability Claims System Subject to Fraud

Congress And The VA Deal With Complications Of Veterans' Health 05/03/2010.  The Associated Press/The Washington Post: Pressure from Congress telling the Department of Veterans Affairs that it should make it easier for veterans to settle their disability claims is seeing some controversy. "The system is dysfunctional, an open invitation to fraud. And the VA has proposed changes that could make deception even easier." Kaiser Health News

Effects Of Antidepressants on Emotional Processing

Do Antidepressants Alter Emotional Processing in PTSD? 05/03/2010.  These clinical experiences suggest that SSRIs may alter emotional processing in PTSD patients not unlike that seen with reboxetine in depressed patients. (1) Although there are potential alternative explanations for the aforementioned clinical observations (e.g., improvements in anger in PTSD patients may be one aspect of a general SSRI-induced emotional dampening [2] and improvement in anger might be a manifestation of a global improvement in PTSD), the timing of the improvements (i.e., early in treatment) and the reports of altered perception of external events are reminiscent of Harmer et. al's findings. It may be that changes in emotional processing by antidepressants play a role in the treatment of PTSD just as they appear to do in depression. American Journal of Psychiatry