Outro collaborates with clinicians and practices to help reduce their workload, adhere to treatment guidelines, and improve patient outcomes via evidence-based deprescribing.
Until now, there hasn't been an evidence-based way to taper off psychiatric medications. This has left clinicians and patients in a difficult position, leading to a rise in long-term antidepressant use.
"Long-term use of antidepressants is surging in the United States, according to a new analysis of federal data by The New York Times. Some 15.5 million Americans have been taking the medications for at least five years. The rate has almost doubled since 2010, and more than tripled since 2000."
It's difficult doing it alone, from start to finish. Outro helps providers in a collaborative model, providing specialist consultation for patients, personalized tapering plans, and bespoke resources depending on the need.
Clinical decision support
Tapering plan consultations
Provide compounded medications
Reduce unnecessary prescriptions
Reduce exposure to long-term effects
Outro's platform can support patients through various stages of their antidepressant journey.
The decision to come off of an antidepressant is a big step, requiring a comprehensive assessment of the patients medication history, current health status, and personal objectives. Outro clinicians are equipped with the tools to help patients understand this decision. The Outro Library also contains a wealth of resources for those in the contemplation and preparation phases of their journeys.
Long-term antidepressant use has risen drastically in the last decade, and doesn't come without risks. Outro clinicians conduct a comprehensive evaluation of a patient's medication history, current health status, and future goals. We then design a customized hyperbolic tapering plan that helps reduce the severity of withdrawal symptoms, which tend to intensify the longer an antidepressant is used. The Outro Library is also replete with resources to support patients during their tapering journey, offering valuable insights to help them navigate this challenging transition.
Beyond the increased risk associated with long-term use, certain medication classes like SNRIs and short-half life antidepressants are associated with severe withdrawal symptoms, requiring special consideration. Outro's care team takes this into account, building a specialized plan based on medication type, duration of use, concomitant medications, and dose history.
Just because a patient has been previously unsuccessful in tapering a medication - whether stopping part-way through the taper or reinstating after discontinuation - doesn't mean that they can't safely and sustainably come off it. Common problems include withdrawal being misdiagnosed as a return of the original condition, or that the patient followed a rapid (1-4 week) and linear taper. Outro's hyperbolic tapering method, based on the dose-dependent drug effects, facilitates a sustainable transition off medications. In one study in hundreds of people, 72% of patients were able to successfully discontinue their antidepressant. Of those, 7/10 had tried and failed to stop their medication previously.
Reference: Groot & van Os, 2021.
Tapering of SSRI treatment to mitigate withdrawal symptoms—the hyperbolic tapering method by co-founder Dr. Mark Horowitz.
Ready to quit antidepressants? A surprising new approach promises to avoid the dreaded withdrawal symptoms.
Adults with depression who want to quit antidepressants should be given support on how to do it safely over time, says NICE.
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