Treatments for the Prevention and Management of Suicide
Authors: Deanna L. Kelly, David A. Gorelick, Heidi J. Wehring, Gopal Vyas, Robert W. Buchanan
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2020)

Letters21 January 2020Treatments for the Prevention and Management of SuicideDeanna L. Kelly, PharmD, BCPP, David A. Gorelick, MD, PhD, Heidi J. Wehring, PharmD, BCPP, Gopal Vyas, DO, and Robert W. Buchanan, MDDeanna L. Kelly, PharmD, BCPPUniversity of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland (D.L.K., D.A.G., H.J.W., G.V., R.W.B.)Search for more papers by this author, David A. Gorelick, MD, PhDUniversity of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland (D.L.K., D.A.G., H.J.W., G.V., R.W.B.)Search for more papers by this author, Heidi J. Wehring, PharmD, BCPPUniversity of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland (D.L.K., D.A.G., H.J.W., G.V., R.W.B.)Search for more papers by this author, Gopal Vyas, DOUniversity of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland (D.L.K., D.A.G., H.J.W., G.V., R.W.B.)Search for more papers by this author, and Robert W. Buchanan, MDUniversity of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland (D.L.K., D.A.G., H.J.W., G.V., R.W.B.)Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/L19-0706 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:D'Anci and colleagues' systematic review (1) is a welcome addition to the literature on the prevention and treatment of suicidality, a major public health crisis in the United States. However, their criterion of including only double-blind, randomized clinical trials caused them to omit mention of clozapine, one of the few medications with proven efficacy for the treatment of suicidality.Clozapine, an antipsychotic medication, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the indication of reducing the risk for recurrent suicidal behavior in persons with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. This approval was based on the ...References1. D'Anci KE, Uhl S, Giradi G, et al. Treatments for the prevention and management of suicide. A systematic review. Ann Intern Med. 2019;171:334-42. [PMID: 31450239]. doi:10.7326/M19-0869 LinkGoogle Scholar2. Meltzer HY, Alphs L, Green AI, et al; International Suicide Prevention Trial Study Group. Clozapine treatment for suicidality in schizophrenia: International Suicide Prevention Trial (InterSePT). Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2003;60:82-91. [PMID: 12511175] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. National Institute of Mental Health. Conducting research with participants at elevated risk for suicide: considerations for researchers. 2019. Accessed at www.nimh.nih.gov/funding/clinical-research/conducting-research-with-participants-at-elevated-risk-for-suicide-considerations-for-researchers.shtml on 2 October 2019. Google Scholar4. Buchanan RW, Kreyenbuhl J, Kelly DL, et al; Schizophrenia Patient Outcomes Research Team (PORT). The 2009 schizophrenia PORT psychopharmacological treatment recommendations and summary statements. Schizophr Bull. 2010;36:71-93. [PMID: 19955390] doi:10.1093/schbul/sbp116 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Sall J, Brenner L, Millikan Bell AM, et al. Assessment and management of patients at risk for suicide: synopsis of the 2019 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and U.S. Department of Defense clinical practice guidelines. Ann Intern Med. 2019;171:343-53. [PMID: 31450237]. doi:10.7326/M19-0687 LinkGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland (D.L.K., D.A.G., H.J.W., G.V., R.W.B.)Disclosures: Disclosures can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=L19-0706. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoTreatments for the Prevention and Management of Suicide Kristen E. D'Anci , Stacey Uhl , Gina Giradi , and Constance Martin Treatments for the Prevention and Management of Suicide Kristen E. D'Anci and Stacey Uhl Metrics Cited byFunctional alterations of the suicidal brain: a coordinate-based meta-analysis of functional imaging studies 21 January 2020Volume 172, Issue 2Page: 167-168KeywordsClinical trialsDisclosureFood and Drug AdministrationPopulation statisticsPrevention, policy, and public healthSchizophreniaSuicideSystematic reviewsTreatment guidelines ePublished: 21 January 2020 Issue Published: 21 January 2020 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2020 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...