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Augmentor Drugs

Augmentor Drugs

Concept of Augmentation:  Any antidepressants that doesn’t show at least 50% improvement of symptoms after administrating adequate dose of anti depressant for adequate duration, it is said to be partial responsive (<50%) or non responsive (<25%). In such cases certain compounds are used which enhances the mechanism of action of anti depressants. This is known as Augmentation.

Reasons for Antidepressants to be partially responsive or non responsive:

•                 When diagnosis is doubtful
•                 Inadequate dosage and duration of treatment
                  Axis II personality disorder
                  Presence of anxiety disorder
                  Underlying medical conditions like diabetes mellitus, thyroid dysfunction, Cushing’s syndrome etc. 
  
  
  

Augmentation agents:

                Thyroid supplements – T3, T4.
                Lithium
                B- blockers ( Propranalol)
                Ca channel blockers ( Nifedepine)
                Benzodiazepine ( clonazepam, lorazepam)
                ECT
                Use of other antidepressants from same class or different class