Browsing by Subject "lääkityksen hallittu lopettaminen"

The long-term use of antidepressants has increased significantly worldwide in recent decades. Deprescribing and the expertise related to it is an important part of the individual drug treatment optimization, the management of long-term diseases, the avoidance of adverse drug effects and the improvement of treatment outcomes. The aim of this thesis was to examine the information found in the statutory Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) and other key information sources for healthcare professionals about antidepressant deprescribing. A qualitative content analysis was conducted on SmPC (n=15) of the antidepressants (escitalopram, mirtazapine, sertraline, citalopram, venlafaxine) selected for the study, three national depression treatment guidelines (Suomalainen Lääkäriseura Duodecim: Depressio Käypä hoito -suositus, American Psychological Association APA: Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients with Major Depressive Disorder, United States and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence NICE: Depression in Adults: Treatment and Management, United Kingdom) and one decision supporting deprescribing tool (MedStopper). The content, quantity, and quality of information about antidepressant deprescribing varied between the information sources included in the study. However, the information found in the SmPC and the MedStopper -tool was mostly in line with the information found in the clinical practice guidelines included in the study. Most general information about antidepressant deprescribing or measures that can be used to guide deprescribing was found in the clinical practice guidelines. In all examined sources, antidepressants were recommended to be discontinued in a controlled manner by gradually reducing the dose. However, the recommended duration of the dose reduction varied in different information sources. A detailed dose reduction program was not found in most of the information sources. A detailed dose reduction program was found in only one clinical practice guideline (NICE) and the MedStopper -tool. The continuation of antidepressant treatment after remission and the timing of stopping the medication was discussed in only two clinical practice guidelines (APA and Käypä hoito). However, instructions for action if severe or intolerable discontinuation symptoms appears were found in almost all information sources. Only the clinical practice guidelines mentioned the recurrence of depression as a possible harm when stopping the medication and instructed how to act in the event of a possible relapse. Benefits related to antidepressant discontinuation was not mentioned in any of the examined information sources and only one clinical practice guideline (NICE) discussed barriers related to stopping antidepressants. The information found in individual information sources was insufficient and provided little support for healthcare professionals to guide deprescribing. Current key sources of information for healthcare professionals provide limited information and relatively imprecise guidance on antidepressant deprescribing and how to support the antidepressant discontinuation process. Better randomized clinical trials are needed to develop clearer and more extensive evidence-based guidelines for healthcare professionals on antidepressant deprescribing and to prevent unnecessary long-term antidepressant treatment and patient exposure to possible adverse drug effects.