Dr. Covert was among the Houston psychiatrists invited to attend a scientific presentation by Vivek Singh, M.D., Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at UTHSC in San Antonio and fellowship-trained in psychopharmacology.
The focus of Dr. Singh’s presentation was on the relative attributes of the atypical major tranquilizer, asenapine:
- Efficacy comparable to olanzapine, the Gold Standard for this class of medications
- Superior short and long term tolerability, improving patient compliance and adherence
- Negligible weight gain over 52 weeks
- The absence of lipid metabolism dysfunction resulting in elevated serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels
- The absence of prolactin elevation which in female patients can cause osteoporosis and galactorrhea
- No provocation of diabetes mellitus
- No negative impact on cognition and executive functioning
- A .0005 rate of hypersensitivity
- A 79% rate of patient compliance when provided in a single daily dose, usually at bedtime, which also minimizes problems with somnolence side effects, the most common side effect (24%)
- No cholinergic properties
Dr. Covert’s participation in continuing educational programs such as this enables his patients to benefit from information from thought leaders in American psychiatry. This correlated with Dr. Covert’s opinion that physicians are measured by their patients according to their ability, their availability, their affability and their willingness to communicate.
