Switching Antidepressants in Primary Care

There are instances where a particular antidepressant medication will need to be discontinued for a primary care patient despite the continued need for treatment. This happens when the medication is not effective, the patient is unable to tolerate its side effects, or in the presence of significant drug-drug interactions.

There are three ways of doing a switch:

• Direct switch
• Cross-taper
• Gradual discontinuation with a wash-out period

This month’s clinical pearl provides in-depth guidance on evidence-based strategies for switching antidepressants. If you want additional support on this topic, RubiconMD psychiatrists are a resource for primary care clinicians through our eConsult+ and BHcare solutions.