Reducción progresiva responsable y segura mediante el uso de Tapering strips

Abstract

Millions of people around the world take psychotropic drugs. It is recommended that patients are gradually weaned off a drug once they no longer need it. However, withdrawal symptoms are common when patients are not weaned off the drug gradually enough. These symptoms are often misinterpreted as a relapse, leading patients to continue taking psychotropic drugs or to re-increase their dosage. Consequently, patients end up taking the drug on a long-term basis, despite no longer really needing it. Furthermore, the unpleasant side effects of psychotropic drugs can worsen when they are taken over a long period of time. To avoid this, it is essential that practitioners have the right tools to support patients as effectively as possible in the process of reducing their use of a drug. In the Netherlands, the User Research Center (URC) of the University Medical Center Utrecht has developed "tapering strips" to help patients gradually reduce their drug dosage. They seem to be highly effective and are available to buy, but they are currently non-reimbursable for patients who do not live in the Netherlands.