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Examining antidepressant use in palliative care patients by risk of antidepressant discontinuation syndrome
Author(s) -
Glanger Maxine R.,
Peterson Gregory,
Abraham Arun
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
internal medicine journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.596
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-5994
pISSN - 1444-0903
DOI - 10.1111/imj.15320
Subject(s) - discontinuation , medicine , antidepressant , palliative care , antidepressant medication , psychiatry , disease , intensive care medicine , anxiety , nursing
Antidepressant drugs, which are widely used in palliative care patients for both management of psychiatric disorders and non‐psychiatric symptoms, may cause a cluster of distressing symptoms on discontinuation. In dying patients, cessation of oral intake may occur either temporarily or permanently for reasons related to disease or its treatment, as well as in the days before death. We examined antidepressant use in palliative care patients by risk of antidepressant discontinuation syndrome (ADDS). Strategies for reducing the risk of ADDS, and for managing it that should occur, are discussed.