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