Table 1 Applied schemes for tapering long-term antidepressant usage in primary care
Antidepressant | AD tapering scheme (steps per 2 weeks, dose in mg/day) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Â | Start dose | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 |
TCA | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
· Amitriptyline | > 150 | 150 | 100 | 50 | 25 |
· Imipramine | > 150 | 150 | 100 | 50 | 25 |
· Nortriptyline | > 150 | 150 | 100 | 50 | 25 |
· Clomipramine | > 150 | 150 | 100 | 50 | 25 |
SSRI | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
· Fluoxetine | > 60 | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 |
· Paroxetine | > 40 | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 |
· Sertraline | > 150 | 150 | 100 | 50 | 25 |
· Citalopram | > 40 | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 |
· Escitalopram | > 20 | 20 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
· Fluvoxamine | > 150 | 150 | 100 | 50 | 25 |
Other antidepressants | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
· Mirtazapine | > 45 | 45 | 30 | 15 | - |
· Duloxetine | > 120 | 120 | 90 | 60 | 30 |
· Venlafaxine | > 150 | 150 | 112.5 | 75 | 37.5 |
· Trazodon | > 150 | 150 | 100 | 50 | - |