The Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines: A Comprehensive Resource for Safe Medication Reduction

By Mark Horowitz, David M. Taylor

A Comprehensive Resource for Safe Medication Reduction

The Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines is a comprehensive resource that provides detailed guidance on safely reducing or stopping antidepressants, benzodiazepines, gabapentinoids, and z-drugs for patients. This evidence-based handbook offers an overview of principles to be used in deprescribing, derived from fundamental scientific principles and the latest research on this topic, combined with emerging insights from clinical practice.

Why and When to Deprescribe

The Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines covers topics such as why and when to deprescribe antidepressants, benzodiazepines, gabapentinoids, and z-drugs. It discusses barriers and enablers to deprescribing, including physical dependence, social circumstances, and knowledge about the discontinuation process. The book also distinguishes withdrawal symptoms, such as poor mood, anxiety, insomnia, and a variety of physical symptoms, from symptoms of the underlying disorder that medication was intended to treat.

Hyperbolic Tapering and Formulations

The Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines explains why and how to implement hyperbolic tapering in clinical practice. It provides specific guidance on formulations of medication and techniques for making gradual reductions, including using liquid forms of medication, and other approaches. The book offers step-by-step guidance for safely stopping all commonly used antidepressants, benzodiazepines, gabapentinoids, and z-drugs, including fast, moderate, and slow tapering regimens or schedules for each drug, and guidance on how to tailor these to an individual.

Troubleshooting Issues

The Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines also troubleshoots issues which can arise on stopping these medications, including akathisia, withdrawal symptoms, acute or protracted, and relapse. Written for anyone interested in safe deprescribing of psychiatric medications, including psychiatrists, GPs, pharmacists, nurses, medical trainees, and interested members of the public, this book is an essential resource on the subject that provides practical guidance on how to improve patient outcomes in this field of medicine.

Product Details

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell; 1st edition (February 5, 2024)
Language: English
Paperback: 592 pages
ISBN-10: 111982298X
ISBN-13: 978-1119822981