Supra-Therapeutic Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (Ssri) Dosesfor Refractory Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Case Report

Abstract

response to standard first-line treatments. We report a case of treatment-refractory OCD that was successfully treated with the pharmacological strategy of using selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in the above-licensed doses. Patient, a 26-year-old male, had failed to respond to multiple trials of SSRIs inside the licensed dose range and augmentation with antipsychotic medication when he was started on high-dose escitalopram(40mg/day). His clinical condition improved greatly after 12 weeks on this regimen, as demonstrated by a significant decrease in the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (from 33 to 12). This case provides additional support to a small body of evidence that suggests the utility of using higher doses of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Keywords

• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Treatment-resistant
• Refractory
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)
• high dose