Treating OCD

Question 1

What are SSRI’s ?

Answer 1

• selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
• ## increases the levels of serotonin in the synapse by inhibiting them from the process of reuptake

Question 2

What is common type of SSRI?

Answer 2

• fluoxtine
• taken as capsule or liquid form
• 3-4 months of daily use before it may impact symptoms
• 20mg increased to 60mg if it doesn’t work

Question 3

What are benzodiazapines?

Answer 3

• reduce anxiety
• slows down activity of CNS by enhancing the GABA neurotransmitter
• When GABA binds to receptor - chloride ions flow inside the neurone
• chloride ions make it harder for neurons to be stimulated by other neurotransmitters
• slows down the activity = relaxation

Question 4

A03 - Evidence to show that drug therapy effective in treating symptoms of OCD

Answer 4

• Soomro et al reviewed studies comparing SSRI’s to placebos in the treatment of OCD
• concluded that all 17 studies reviewed showed significantly better results for the SSRI’s than for placebo conditons
• typically symptoms decline significantly for around 70% of patients taking SSRI’s
• Of the remaining 30% alternative drug treatments or combinations of drugs and psychological treatments will be effective for some
• Shows clear evidence that drug therapy works to reduce symptoms
• SSRI’s improve the quality of lives

Question 5

A03 - Cost effective and non-disruptive

Answer 5

• Drug treatment is generally cheaper when compared to psyschological treatments
• As compared to psychological therapies SSRI’s are also non-disruptive to patients lives
• You can simple take drugs until the symptoms decline and not engage with the hard work of psychological therapy, many doctors and patients prefer drug treatments for this reason
• Therefore suggests that drug therapy provides good value for the Public Health system (NHS as it not only reduces the cost but the engagement
• Will be higher engagement due to the ease and accessibility

Question 6

A03 - SSRI’s and other drug therapies can have severe side effects

Answer 6

• Some patients also suffer severe side effects such as indigestion, blurred vision and low sex drive
• These side effects are usually temporary
• For those taking clomipramine, side effects are more common and can be more serious
• More than one in ten patients suffer erection problems, tremors and weight gain
• More than one in a hundred become aggressive and suffer disruption to blood pressure and heart problems
• Is an issue as it leads to the patient to consider whether the side effects outweigh the benefits to their symptoms
• If side effects are more severe then patients may stop taking the drug, therefore reducing the effectiveness of the medication

Question 7

A03 - May not be effective in cases where OCD follows from trauma

Answer 7

• Whilst OCD has been found to have a biological cause, there are other factors such as trauma found to have an important role in the cause of the disorder
• Cromer et al found that over half the patients in their sample had a traumatic event in their past
• Therefore means that whilst drug therapy may be effective for some it will not be effective for cases where OCD is causes by factors beyond biological causes
• Other therapies such as CBT would be considered more appropriate as it would address the root cause