Abstract
Background
: The management of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients with comorbid psychiatric disorders poses several challenges, especially regarding drug interactions.
Methods
: We report three representative case-scenarios on patients with psychiatric disorders and COVID-19 to provide a practical approach based on the existing literature and the clinical experience of an expert team in consultation-liaison psychiatry.
Case-centered recommendations
: Psychopharmacological ongoing treatments should be prioritized and most doses should be reduced 25–50% of original dose if the patient receives lopinavir/ritonavir, with some exceptions including quetiapine, asenapine, olanzapine, sertraline, lamotrigine, bupropion, and methadone. If the psychopharmacological usual doses are in the low-to-median range levels, a dose change during COVID-19 drugs co-administration is not recommended, but only ECG and clinical monitoring of adverse effects and drug levels if required. Furthermore, when introducing a psychopharmacological drug, dose titration should be progressive, with ECG monitoring if cardiotoxic interactions are present.
(A) In agitated delirium, olanzapine is recommended as first-line antipsychotic and quetiapine should be avoided.
(B) In severe mental illness (SMI), essential treatments should be maintained.
(C) In non-SMI with depressive/anxiety symptoms, psychological support should be provided and symptoms identified and treated.
Limitations
: Most recommendations on pharmacological interactions provide only a limited qualitative approach and quantitative recommendations are lacking.
Conclusions
: Patients with psychiatric disorders and COVID-19 should be managed on a personalized basis considering several clinical criteria and, should not be excluded from receiving COVID-19 treatments. Risks of pharmacological interaction are not absolute and should be contextualized, and most psychopharmacological treatments should include an ECG with special attention to QTc interval.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, psychiatry, interactions, Consultation liaison psychiatry, Psychopharmacology, Psychodrug, 【초록키워드】 Treatment, coronavirus disease, Usual dose, Symptom, drug, Symptoms, COVID-19 treatments, ECG, delirium, management, Patient, psychological support, Quantitative, Drug interactions, Interaction, dose, psychiatric disorder, adverse effect, QTc interval, clinical criteria, limitation, mental illness, clinical experience, MOST, clinical monitoring, pharmacological, recommendation, approach, agitated, include, the patient, required, provided, receiving, reduced, treated, excluded, receive, drug level, 【제목키워드】 Inpatient, Psychiatric, recommendation,