Antidepressant drug Fluvoxamine can help reduce Covid hospitalisations by 30%: Study

Antidepressant medicine Fluvoxamine can help reduce hospitalisation rate in high-risk Covid patients by 30 per cent, as per a study published in the Lancet Global Health journal.

This drug is usually used to treat mental health conditions such as obsessive compulsion disorders (OCD), depression, anxiety and such.

Researchers used Fluvoxamine on 739 patients between the time period of January 15 and August 6, this year. These 739 patients hailed from Brazil and were Covid patients. Another group of 733 patients had received placebo. Patients who were given Fluvoxamine were observed for 28 days and the experts kept a track of their health to see if they needed to be hospitalised.

The data proved that people who were administered Fluvoxamine did not have to be admitted to the hospital. The hospitalisation rate had reduced by 30 per cent in case of Fluvoxamine injected patients.

In cases of patients who were taking all their prescribed drugs saw reduction of 65 per cent in hospitalisation rate.

"Fluvoxamine may reduce the production of inflammatory molecules known as cytokines, that can be triggered by SARS-CoV-2, the COVID-19 causing virus," Angela Reiersen, an associate professor at the Washington University and co-author of the research said.

The drug was selected for its anti-inflammatory properties and because it was believed that the drug has the potential to reduce the cytokine storm in the Covid patients.

"COVID-19 still poses a risk to individuals in countries with low resources and limited access to vaccinations," said Edward Mills of McMaster University, co-principal investigator on the trial. "Identifying inexpensive, widely available, and effective therapies against Covid-19 is therefore of great importance, and repurposing existing medications that are widely available and have well-understood safety profiles is of particular interest."

 

 

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Effective Treatments for Major Depressive Disorder

There is no one size fits all treatment when it comes to depression. In fact, the mood disorder can present in a number of different ways—leading to social isolation and deep feelings of anger and sadness, as well as an array of emotional and physical symptoms—that can lead to lack of interest in life’s passions and normal day-to-day routines, and even thoughts of suicide.

Clinical depression is more than just a bout of the blues, and patient can’t just ignore depressive thoughts and feelings until they go away. In fact, most patients with depression require long-term treatment that can incorporate a number of lifestyle changes, medications, and therapy with a mental health professional in order to relieve symptoms. Here are the most effective treatments for severe depression:

1. Antidepressants
Most patients with severe depression are prescribed an antidepressant by their doctor in order to boost mood and relieve depressive symptoms. The most common type of medication prescribed to treat major depression disorder are SSRIs (or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), which boost serotonin concentrations within the brain. Commonly prescribed SSRIs include Paxil, Zoloft, and Lexapro. SSRIs are typically prescribed to patients first because they cause fewer adverse side effects. However, atypical depressants (i.e., Trintellix or Vortioxetine) can be an option for adult patients with major depressive disorder who don’t respond to SSRIs alone. Atypical depressant medications aim to balance of serotonin in the brain, like SSRIs, but they’re also serotonin receptor modulators that can help improve appetite, sleep, mood, energy, and interest in daily living. Keep in mind, patients often need to try several combinations of medications to find the one that works best with their symptoms .

2. Lifestyle changes
In addition to medications, doctors will often advise a number of lifestyle changes that focus on self-care and decreasing the depressive symptoms, including:

• Daily physical activity (i.e., walking, yoga, swimming, gardening, etc.)
• A healthy, balanced diet
• Adequate sleep
• Avoiding stress and depression triggers
• Abstain from alcohol and recreational drugs

3. Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a type of “talk therapy” conducted one-on-one with a mental health professional. Psychotherapy can include interpersonal therapies or cognitive behavioral therapies, in collaboration with antidepressants to help patients:

• Identify depression triggers
• Ease depressive symptoms (i.e., fatigue, anger, low self worth)
• Develop healthy coping techniques and problem-solving
• Identify negative beliefs/behaviors and swap them for positive ones
• Set positive, realistic goals
• Manage stress in a healthy manner
• Identify positive vs. toxic interpersonal relationships
• Learn self care and take back control

4. Hospitalization for depression
In severe cases of depression, when patients are a threat to their own safety (high suicide risk) or the well-being of others, a residential hospital facility may be the safest option. Many hospitals offer inpatient programs on a permanent stay, day treatment, or outpatient basis. Depression treatment often includes administering medication, in addition to providing inpatients counseling and therapy support groups.

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A good care plan can reduce number of mental illness patients ending up in hospitals

In a recent study, it was found that the percentage of patients with serious mental illnesses ending up in hospital can be reduced by 40 % if they have a care plan.

The study, which tracked 20,000 patients with a severe mental illness through the healthcare system, also found that seeing the same GP reduced the risk of unplanned hospital admission by around 25 %.
The findings of the research revealed the importance of continuity of care at the GP's for improving health outcomes for patients with a severe mental illness, the authors of the study said.

Severe mental illnesses affect between 1-2% of the population and include conditions like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

People with severe mental illness often experience several other physical health problems. Their life expectancy is around 20 years shorter than the general population and they also visit A & E more often and have higher rates of unplanned hospital admissions.

Lead author of the study said, finding ways to improve health care and outcomes for patients with severe mental illness is a high priority. Seeing a GP is often the only regular point of contact with health services for this group, and si it's really important that they receive high-quality care at this stage of the system.

Our study shows that continuity of care has the knock-on-effect of reducing costly unplanned hosiptal admissions, which both saves  the NJS money and could improve the stark health inequalities experienced  by people with severe mental health conditions, he added.

The researchers explored two aspects of continuity of care-consistently seeing the same GP and care plans- which are documents which state what type of support is needed to meet  a patient's needs. 

They detail a patient's history, circumstances, levels of independence and include a personalised action plan for them.

The researchers found that seeing the same doctor reduced the risk of having to go to A & E by 8-11 % and the risk of unplanned hospital admission by 23-27 %. Having a care plan reduced the risk of a visit to A & E by 29 & and an unplanned hospital admission by 32 %. It also reduced the risk of a patient being admitted to hospital for reasons linked to their mental health condition by 39 %.

The study is the 1st to link data sets in order to look at the entire health care pathway for patients in England.

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Cancer patients more likely to use marijuana

Many cancer patients use marijuana and its usage has increased, a new study suggests. The findings,  indicate 40.3 per cent cancer patients used marijuana within the past year, compared with 38 per cent of respondents without cancer.

“Prospective clinical trials are needed to quantify the efficacy of marijuana in cancer-specific pain as well as the risk of opioid misuse in this patient population,” said co-author.

For the study, 826 people with cancer were matched to 1,652 controls.

The researchers found significantly increased use of marijuana over time — likely reflecting increased availability due to legislative changes — but they found stable rates of opioid use.

They found patients with cancer were more likely to use prescription opioids than adults without cancer — 13.9 per cent versus 6.4 per cent.

“Medical marijuana legislation has previously been associated with reduction in hospitalisations related to opioid dependence or abuse, suggesting if patients are in fact substituting marijuana for opioid, this may introduce an opportunity for reducing opioid-related morbidity and mortality,” said lead author of the study.

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