Outro Health | For Providers

Filling a GAp

Antidepressant withdrawal is a clinical challenge

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.

56%

More than half of patients experience withdrawal upon stopping their antidepressant.

Davies & Reid, 2019.

2/3

As early as 2011, more than two-thirds of patients were on an antidepressant for longer than guidelines recommend.

CDC Data, 2011-2014.

Bring Care Full-circle

Improve outcomes & reduce workload with a specialist deprescribing partner

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

Who can benefit from Outro?

Outro's platform can support patients through various stages of their antidepressant journey.

Contemplating Rx discontinuation

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 users

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.

Patients on high-risk medications

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.

Previously failed tapering attempts

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.