Introduction
Due to its chemical structure, mirtazapine is one of the so-called tetracyclic antidepressants, i.e. drugs used to treat depression. In Germany it is marketed under the trade name Remergil®. It is a prescription-only preparation, which is available in various strengths and dosage forms.
There are film-coated tablets containing 15 mg, 30 mg or 45 mg of the active substance mirtazapine, fused tablets also containing 15 mg, 30 mg or 45 mg mirtazapine or a solution for oral administration, 1 ml of this solution containing 15 mg mirtazapine. All these forms are therefore administered orally, i.e. by mouth, and can be taken with or without food. In addition, there is also a concentrate that is administered via the vein (intravenously).
Fields of application
The antidepressant Mirtazapine is used for its mood-lifting effect in various disorders of the depressive spectrum and is also only approved for depressive disorders. Mirtazapine’s sedative effect makes it particularly suitable for patients who also suffer from sleep disorders. It is therefore particularly suitable for people with tension-filled melancholic disorders.
In studies where the effect of mirtazapine was compared with other drugs used to treat depression, mirtazapine performed well and was also tolerated by most patients. In addition to the diseases mentioned in their approval, drugs can also be used for other diseases; this is known as “off-label use”. Outside the scope of approval, i.e. off-label use, mirtazapine is also used to treat generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social phobia, post-traumatic stress disorder and sleep disorders.
Problems with weaning
The antidepressant Mirtazapine does not cause dependence. However, sudden discontinuation of the drug may cause symptoms. In most cases, however, these are only slightly pronounced and disappear on their own.
Symptoms that can occur after sudden discontinuation are, for example, sleep disturbances, restlessness, anxiety, headaches and nausea. How pronounced these symptoms are depends on the duration of treatment and the daily dose of mirtazapine. In order to keep the symptoms as mild as possible, mirtazapine should be discontinued, i.e. the dose should be lowered slowly until the drug can be discontinued completely.
