Mental Health 2 Flashcards
What screening tool can be used for major depressive episode?
Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) or Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomalogy-Self-Report (QIDS-SR16)
What screening tool can be used to rate severity & remission of depression
7-Item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-7)
What does the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) assess?
Screening instrument for manic or hypomanic symptoms
What is the first line drug used for peds with depression?
Fluoxetine. Started at LOW doses.
And initiate psychological treatments if not already initiated
T/F Antidepressants are approved by Health Canada for unipolar depression in pts <18 years?
False- consider meds when: psychological treatments are unavaialble or unsuccessful, pt prefers to use meds, &/or pt has co-morbid anxiety disorders
How often should follow up be for Peads started on anti-depressants?
Weekly x4wks after initiation, then q2wks, then q4wks ongoing
When should you start to see improvements with antidepressants?
May need 6 weeks to see full effect but may see improvement in 1-2wks
What is the 1st line treatment for teens with mild/mod depression?
Active monitoring - visits virtual/in person for 1-2weeks, prescribe self-care (exercise, peer support groups), set boundaries with social media use and try all strategies for 6-8 weeks before moving on to psychological treatments as 2nd line and pharmacotherapy as 3rd line
When should you refer to a specialist for depression?
After 2 failed SSRIs and 1 course of CBT/IPT
or 3 treatment failures in general or psychotic symptoms
What are some contributing factors of depression?
Drugs: benzos, opioids, steroids, clonidine. methyldopa, phenobarbital
Substances: alcohol, cannabis, stimulants
Conditions: sleep apnea, autoimmune, hypothyroid, anemia, DM, CVD, stroke, pain
Situations: social stressors, peri-partum, menopause
What are some considerations for prescribing older adults on antidepressants?
Start at low doses and monitor carefully *inc risk for AEs, falls risk.
May take longer to see effects 12+ weeks
What antidepressants are preferred for the older adult?
es/citalopram, sertraline, bupropion (if no insomnia, or dec appetite) and duloxetine
What are some of the most common AE with antidepressants?
H - headache (or dizziness)
A - anxiety/agitation, restless (typically only in first 2wks)
N - nausea
D - diarrhea (or other GI upset)
S - sleep disturbances, inc suicidality (for those <24yrs)
Others: sexual dysfunction, wt gain, emotional detachment/personality changes, osteoporotic #’s (esp >70yrs), bleeding (esp older adult, or on NSAIDs), hyponatremia, seizures, serotonin syndrome, QT prolongation (for es/citalopram - consider pre ECG)
What is safe to prescribe for depression in pregnancy?
1st line for mild - psychotherapy
1st line mod/severe: SSRIs: sertraline, escitalopram, citalopram using lowest effective dose
*Avoid SNRIs, bupropion, mirtazapine, vilazodone due to less safety data available
What is the expected duration of treatment for antidepressants?
If First episode- 12 months
Second episode - 2 years
2 or more episodes - do not stop medication
Continue on meds for 6-12m after cessation of symptoms as there is an inc risk of relapse with shorter treatment durations
What is the 1st line treatment for mild depression in adults?
CBT, behavioural activation (BA), & interpersonal therapy (IPT), with CBT showing to be most effective
What is the 1st line treatment for MDD with seasonal pattern?
Light therapy - 30mins exposure/day with effects seen in 1-3 wks
When to refer someone with depression to ED?
Active suicidal ideation
How often can antidepressants be titrated up?
Every 2 weeks by 5-10mg to max doses
What is the recommendation for tapering down antidepressants?
Average 25% decrease/wk while monitoring for side effects
Start with taper of drug 1 every 4-7 days, then stop
Then next day slowly titre up drug 2
When should the minimum therapeutic dose be achieved for antidepressants?
Within the first 2weeks (no changes here) and then can be increased if necessary over the next 4–6 weeks.
Which populations should the SSRI Paroxetine not be used or avoided?
Older adults, pregnancy