New findings on SSRI discontinuation in Hospice patients

Does Stopping Antidepressants at End of Life Trigger Distressing Symptoms in Hospice Patients? A new article published in The American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Care by Mridula Shanker and colleagues investigates whether disruptions in antidepressant medications during the final week of life cause additional distressing symptoms in hospice patients. The study found that patients who experienced interruptions in their antidepressant regimen required significantly higher doses of comfort medications, particularly liquid morphine and lorazepam, compared to patients whose antidepressants were continued or those not taking antidepressants at all.