NICE guidelines update 2013

Katie SimpsonSouth Central SHA

IAPT GP Clinical LeadMental Health Lead Berks East PCT

• 281 million consultations in Primary Care annually

• 30% of all GP consultations have a Mental Health component

• 90% Mental Health Problems managed by Primary Care

Primary Care Mental Health

• Depression: review of assessment• Emphasis on psychological interventions• Pharmacological interventions

new information

efficacy and cost effectiveness

augmenting

• Relapse prevention• GP key role

CG90 NICE Depression guidance

Principles for assessment

The guidelines discourage over reliance on the number of symptoms. Instead:

• Distress• Duration• Disability

If the patient’s symptoms have been distressing and have been present for 2 weeks or more at a level where they have affected their ability to function normally then it is likely that they are significant

• Be alert to possible depression – Particularly in people with a past history of depression

or a chronic physical health problem with associated functional impairment.

• Consider asking people who may have depression two questions, specifically:

– During the last month, have you often been bothered by feeling down, depressed or hopeless?

– During the last month, have you often been bothered by having little interest or pleasure in doing things?

(PHQ2)

• “Is this something with which you would like help”?

Identification and assessment

Role of the General Practitioner

• GPs ideally placed to detect depression• “Watchful waiting” vs GP involvement in all steps of

the model

CG 90 not so explicit about boundaries primary care/ specialist care

• But: dangers of false diagnosis and medicalisation of distress

Some evidence of diagnosis and prescription in pts. not actually depressed

Key points for intervention• Step 1 Identification Risk assessment Active monitoring

• Step 2 Advice on sleep hygiene and activity Low intensity psychological interventions

• Step 3 High intensity psychological interventions Referral

• Steps 2, 3, and 4 Antidepressants

• Steps 2, 3 and 4 Provision of service delivery system

The Characteristics of IAPT

• Implements NICE Guidelines– Not only CBT

• Stepped care

• Outcome focused

• Self referral

Stepped Care

Referral Criteria

• Problems suitable for Talking Therapies• Depression• Generalised anxiety disorder• Psychological problems arising from long term medical conditions• Panic disorder • Social phobia• Specific phobias• OCD   Obsessive compulsive disorder• PTSD Post- traumatic stress disorder –moderate/single trauma e.g. RTA• Health anxiety• Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms • Post natal depression (mild/moderate)• Employment stress, support required to stay in or obtain work.

Not suitable:

• Children• Psychosis• Actively suicidal• Complex problems eg PD, Severe

PTSD, Moderate/Severe Eating disorders

• Drug/Alcohol problems• Under Secondary Care Services

NICE conclusions on antidepressant medication

• When prescribing, should normally be SSRI (Selective Serotonin Receptor Inhibitors) in generic form

• Avoid using routinely for subthreshold depressive symptoms

• Discuss options, consider side effects, discontinuation, potential interactions, physical health, previous experience

Starting antidepressant treatment

Obtain patient’s agreement that they have a depressive illness, then:• Address patient concerns, views on tablets and antidepressants,

and discuss common myths Gradual effects and need to persevere Side effects and drug interactions Previous experience of efficacy/side effects Discontinuation symptoms Not addictive Ask about St. John’s Wort• Review after 2 weeks, then at least monthly• If suicide risk or <30years review after 1 week, then frequently

Mode of action: SSRI (Selective Serotonin Receptor Inhibitors)

Common Side Effects of SSRIs

• Nausea• Diarrhoea• Headache• Anxiety• Insomnia/drowsiness- adapt time of taking• Weight loss/gain• Sexual difficulties: lack of orgasm• Short term rx (<2 weeks) with a benzodiazepine • Care in people at risk of falls

Generic SSRIs: Fluoxetine, Citalopram, Sertraline, Paroxetine

• Sertraline & Citalopram are safer in patients with Long term conditions as less interactions with other medication

• Paroxetine more discontinuation symptoms

• Fluoxetine can increase anxiety in approx 10%

Escitalopram

• Isomer of citalopram

• Cochrane report supported it BUT

• Small no’s of patients, short term follow up, Pharmaceutically sponsored trials

• Not enough information to recommend it above other treatments as much more expensive.

SNRIs (Serotonin & Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitors)

• Venlafaxine: can increase blood pressure, more toxic in overdose.

• Duloxetine: Also used in diabetic neuropathy (& stress incontinence)

• Side effects similar to SSRI

MIRTAZEPINE

Mirtazepine

• Works by increasing noradrenaline and serotonin in unique way (blocking alpha adrenergic receptors)

• Weight gain• Sedation- some times useful• Often used to augment other

antidepressants•

TCADS (Tricylic Anti Depressants) e.g amitriptyline, clomipramine, dothiepin

• Work on serotonin and noradrenaline

• Side effects: dry mouth, constipation, blurred vision, palpitations, urinary retention

• Very toxic in over dose (especially dothiepine) except lofepramine

Starting Treatment

• Response by 2-4 weeks

• Switch or increase dose if:– Inadequate response– Side effects– Patient prefers

Risk

• Assess, not just using a symptom count

• Assess social support

• Arrange appropriate help

• Advise how to seek help

• GP’s are used to living in a very risky world

• We can each expect a suicide every 5 years

Suicide risk

• Review after 1 week• Consider other forms of support e.g. More

frequent direct or telephone contact• Consider referral to crisis team• Advise and monitor potential for increased

agitation, anxiety and suicidal ideation• Take into account toxicity in overdoseVenlafaxine associated with increased riskTCAs increased risk (except lofepramine)

Augmenting antidepressants

If person is informed and prepared to accept additional side effects, consider augmenting with:

• Lithium• An antipsychotic such as aripiprazole,

olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone• Another antidepressant, such as

mirtazapine or venlafaxine

Relapse prevention

Need to continue treatment for at least 6/12 from recovery

Continue medication for at least 2 years

(If 2+ recent episodes, other risk factors, relapse consequences severe e.g occupation)

Psychological interventions: For recurrent depression

Individual CBT (16-20 sessions over 3-4 months) OR

Mindfulness based cognitive therapy (8 week group)

Discontinuation

When stopping antidepressants, gradually reduce dosage over a 4 week period

• Some people may require longer, esp. With e.g. paroxetine, venlafaxine

• Exception is fluoxetine• Warn about discontinuation symptoms – usually

settle within a week• If symptoms mild: reassure and monitor• If symptoms severe: reintroduce original dose or

another with longer half life and reduce gradually

Subthreshold and mild depression

• Do not routinely use drugs

• Consider them for:– Those with a PMH of moderate/severe

depression– H/O 2y + subthreshold symptoms– Subthreshold / mild depression persisting

after other interventions

Key points

• GPs should be alert to possible signs of depression in patients, but should not medicalise distress

• Assessment and management should be carried out according to the stepped-care model

• Patients should be supported by the GP throughout the management process

• GPs should use active monitoring for patients as appropriate• GPs should have knowledge of:

– low-intensity psychological interventions– locally available services

• Pharmacological treatment choices should be tailored to the individual patient

• The use of St John’s wort is not recommended• High-intensity psychological interventions should be offered to patients

with moderate to severe depression

How to manage anxiety disorders in general practice

Katie SimpsonSouth Central SHA

IAPT GP Clinical LeadMental Health Lead Berks East PCT

• GAD• Panic disorder• PTSD• OCD• Social phobia• Specific phobias (e.g. spiders)• Acute stress disorder

Subtypes of anxiety disorders

• GAD (5% of GP patients)

• DSM IV: ‘excessive worry and heightened tension

majority of days’ ‘difficulty controlling the worry’ ‘plus additional symptoms’ ‘should cause clinically significant distress or

impairment of function’ ‘6 months’

Generalised anxiety disorder

chronic physical health problems

OR

people seeking reassurance about somatic symptoms (particularly the elderly and those from minority ethnic groups)

OR

repeatedly worrying about a range of issues

Who has GAD?

• Step 1 – identification and assessment, education and active monitoring

• Step 2 – individual pure self help, individual guided self help or psycho-educational groups. Books: ‘Living with fear’ by Marks IM,

‘Mastery of your anxiety and panic’ by Barlow DH ‘Overcoming anxiety’ by Kennerley H.

• Step 3 – high-intensity psychological interventions (CBT or applied relaxation) OR

drug treatment (Sertraline). See them within 1 week of starting rx

• Full anxiolytic effect takes 1 week or more. • Important to cont rx after remission to prevent relapse (at least 1 year).

• Step 4 – consider referral to secondary care

Stepped care in GAD

• Sertraline 1st line • If ineffective/ not tolerated then another SSRI

or SNRI• Consider: withdrawal syndrome/ side effect

profile/ risk of suicide/self harm-toxicity in OD/previous experience of drug rx

SSRI/SNRI at step 3

Pregabalin

• If pt cannot tolerate SSRIs then offer pregabalin or SNRI

• Also used in neuropathic pain & epilepsy

• Side effects : dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, ankle swelling , blurred vision, poor concentration, weight gain

• Do not offer BDZs for Rx of GAD apart from short-term measures during a crisis. Advice in BNF - not be used as sole rx for chronic anxiety.

• Avoid driving- even the next morning• Can become habit forming after 2 weeks• In long term can cause rebound insomnia and

anxiety

Benzodiazepines

Beta Blockers

• B blockers help with palpitations and tremor NOT psychological symptoms/muscle tension

• Side effects: cold extremities, tiredness

• NOT with asthma

Anti- psychotics

• Do not use antipsychotics for rx of GAD in primary care e.g chlorpromazine, haloperidol, risperidone, aripiprazole

• Risks out weigh benefits

• Weight gain, increased risk of Diabetes, Cardio vascular disease including stroke

• Provide contact numbers and info about what to do and who to contact in a crisis

• Comorbid anxiety or physical disorder? Treat the primary disorder first (the one that is more severe)

• Non-harmful alcohol misuse not a contraindication to rx of GAD. However with harmful and dependent alcohol misuse rx this first as alone it may lead to a significant improvement in GAD

Principles of care in GAD

Dr Katie Simpson

South Central SHA IAPT GP Clinical Lead Mental Health Lead Berks East PCT

katiesimpson2@nhs.net

Thank you