Essentials of Psychiatry in Primary Care: Behavioral Health in the Medical Setting >Generalized Anxiety

and Related Disorders

Robert C. Smith, Gerald G. Osborn, Francesca C. Dwamena, Dale D'Mello, Laura Freilich, Heather S. Laird-Fick+
Table 5-7.Switching Antidepressant Medications in Anxietya

SWITCHING FROM SWITCHING TO

Tricyclic SSRI or SNRI Taper over 5-7 d; start new drug 2-3 d later

Taper over 2-5 d, then start SNRI; use lower dose if switch from
SSRI SNRI fluoxetine; longer taper, up to 2 wk, if high doses of fluoxetine were
used; monitor serotonin syndrome (see Table 5-6)

Taper over 2-5 d, then start SNRI; use lower dose if switch from
SSRI Different SSRI fluoxetine; longer taper, up to 2 wk, if high doses of fluoxetine were
used; monitor serotonin syndrome (see Table 5-6)

SNRI SSRI Taper over 2-5 d; then start SSRI

SNRI Different SNRI Taper over 2-5 d; then start new

SNRI = serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor; SSRI = selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.

aThe material in this table is the same as one in Chapter 4 for switching antidepressants in depression.

Date of download: 12/26/22 from AccessMedicine: accessmedicine.mhmedical.com, Copyright © McGraw Hill. All rights reserved.