WARNINGS
Clinical Worsening And Suicide Risk
Patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), both adult
and pediatric, may experience worsening of their depression and/or the
emergence of suicidal ideation and behavior (suicidality) or unusual changes in
behavior, whether or not they are taking antidepressant medications, and this
risk may persist until significant remission occurs. Suicide is a known risk of
depression and certain other psychiatric disorders, and these disorders
themselves are the strongest predictors of suicide. There has been a
long-standing concern, however, that antidepressants may have a role in
inducing worsening of depression and the emergence of suicidality in certain
patients during the early phases of treatment. Pooled analyses of short-term
placebo-controlled trials of antidepressant drugs (SSRIs and others) showed that
these drugs increase the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior (suicidality)
in children,adolescents, and young adults (ages 18-24) with major depressive
disorder (MDD) and other psychiatric disorders. Short-term studies did not show
an increase in the risk of suicidality with antidepressants compared to placebo
in adults beyond age 24; there was a reduction with antidepressants compared to
placebo in adults aged 65 and older.
The pooled analyses of placebo-controlled trials in
children and adolescents with MDD, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), or
other psychiatric disorders included a total of 24 short-term trials of 9
antidepressant drugs in over 4400 patients. The pooled analyses of
placebo-controlled trials in adults with MDD or other psychiatric disorders
included a total of 295 short-term trials (median duration of 2 months) of 11
antidepressant drugs in over 77,000 patients. There was considerable variation
in risk of suicidality among drugs, but a tendency toward an increase in the
younger patients for almost all drugs studied. There were differences in
absolute risk of suicidality across the different indications, with the highest
incidence in MDD. The risk differences (drug vs placebo), however, were
relatively stable within age strata and across indications. These risk
differences (drug-placebo difference in the number of cases of suicidality per
1000 patients treated) are provided in Table 1.
Table 1
Age Range |
Drug-Placebo Difference in Number of Cases of Suicidality per 1000 Patients Treated |
|
Increases Compared to Placebo |
< 18 |
14 additional cases |
18-24 |
5 additional cases |
|
Decreases Compared to Placebo |
25-64 |
1 fewer case |
≥ 65 |
6 fewer cases |
No suicides occurred in any of
the pediatric trials. There were suicides in the adult trials, but the number
was not sufficient to reach any conclusion about drug effect on suicide.
It is unknown whether the
suicidality risk extends to longer-term use, i.e., beyond several months.
However, there is substantial evidence from placebo-controlled maintenance
trials in adults with depression that the use of antidepressants can delay the
recurrence of depression.
All patients being treated
with antidepressants for any indication should be monitored appropriately and
observed closely for clinical worsening, suicidality, and unusual changes in
behavior, especially during the initial few months of a course of drug therapy,
or at times of dose changes, either increases or decreases.
The following symptoms,
anxiety, agitation, panic attacks, insomnia, irritability, hostility,
aggressiveness, impulsivity, akathisia (psychomotor restlessness), hypomania,
and mania, have been reported in adult and pediatric patients being treated
with antidepressants for major depressive disorder as well as for other
indications, both psychiatric and nonpsychiatric. Although a causal link
between the emergence of such symptoms and either the worsening of depression
and/or the emergence of suicidal impulses has not been established, there is
concern that such symptoms may represent precursors to emerging suicidality.
Consideration should be given
to changing the therapeutic regimen, including possibly discontinuing the
medication, in patients whose depression is persistently worse, or who are
experiencing emergent suicidality or symptoms that might be precursors to
worsening depression or suicidality, especially if these symptoms are severe, abrupt
in onset, or were not part of the patient's presenting symptoms.
Families and caregivers of
patients being treated with antidepressants for major depressive disorder or
other indications, both psychiatric and nonpsychiatric, should be alerted about
the need to monitor patients for the emergence of agitation, irritability,
unusual changes in behavior, and the other symptoms described above, as well as
the emergence of suicidality, and to report such symptoms immediately to health
care providers Such monitoring should include daily observation by
families and caregivers. Prescriptions for Sinequan should be written for
the smallest quantity of tablets consistent with good patient management, in
order to reduce the risk of overdose.
Screening Patients for Bipolar Disorder
A major depressive episode may be the initial presentation
of bipolar disorder. It is generally believed (though not established in
controlled trials) that treating such an episode with an antidepressant alone
may increase the likelihood of precipitation of a mixed/manic episode in
patients at risk for bipolar disorder. Whether any of the symptoms described
above represent such a conversion is unknown. However, prior to initiating
treatment with an antidepressant, patients with depressive symptoms should be
adequately screened to determine if they are at risk for bipolar disorder; such
screening should include a detailed psychiatric history, including a family
history of suicide, bipolar disorder, and depression. It should be noted that
Sinequan is not approved for use in treating bipolar depression.
Angle-Closure Glaucoma
The pupillary dilation that occurs following use of many
antidepressant drugs including Sinequan may trigger an angle closure attack in
a patient with anatomically narrow angles who does not have a patent
iridectomy.
Usage in Geriatrics: The use of SINEQUAN on a
once-a-day dosage regimen in geriatric patients should be adjusted carefully
based on the patient's condition (see PRECAUTIONS-Geriatric Use).
Usage in Pregnancy: Reproduction studies have been
performed in rats, rabbits, monkeys and dogs and there was no evidence of harm
to the animal fetus. The relevance to humans is not known. Since there is no
experience in pregnant women who have received this drug, safety in pregnancy
has not been established. There has been a report of apnea and drowsiness
occurring in a nursing infant whose mother was taking SINEQUAN.
Usage in Children: The use of SINEQUAN in children
under 12 years of age is not recommended because safe conditions for its use
have not been established.