Desvenlafaxine Treatment Guidelines for Major Depressive Disorder

Treatment Duration and Monitoring

• The American College of Physicians, as reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine, recommends continuing treatment for 4-9 months after satisfactory response for a first depressive episode, with patients with 2 or more episodes potentially requiring years to lifetime treatment 1, 2
• The treatment protocol involves evaluating therapeutic response, adverse effects, and suicidal ideation within 1-2 weeks of starting therapy, and assessing treatment response after 6-8 weeks to modify treatment if inadequate response 2

Discontinuation Protocol

• Abrupt discontinuation of desvenlafaxine can lead to withdrawal symptoms including dizziness, nausea, headache, and irritability, and a gradual reduction in dose is recommended 3