Bupropion and dextromethorphan for reduction of suicide risk in depression patients
This disclosure relates to a method of treating depression and/or reducing risk of suicide, comprising administering a combination of about 90 mg to about 120 mg of bupropion hydrochloride, or a molar equivalent amount of another form of bupropion, and about 40 mg to about 50 mg of dextromethorphan hydrobromide, or a molar equivalent amount of another form of dextromethorphan. The combination may be administered twice a day to a human being suffering from major depressive disorder and having a score of 3 or greater on the Suicidality Item of the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS-SI).
1. A method of treating depression and reducing risk of suicide, comprising: selecting a human being suffering from major depressive disorder and having a score of 3 or greater on the Suicidality Item of the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS-SI), and administering a combination of about 90 mg to about 120 mg of bupropion hydrochloride, or a molar equivalent amount of another form of bupropion, and about 40 mg to about 50 mg of dextromethorphan hydrobromide, or a molar equivalent amount of another form of dextromethorphan, to the human being; wherein the combination is administered twice a day to the human being.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the combination comprises about 105 mg of bupropion hydrochloride, or a molar equivalent amount of another form of bupropion, and about 45 mg of dextromethorphan hydrobromide, or a molar equivalent amount of another form of dextromethorphan.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the combination is administered twice a day for at least one week.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the combination is administered twice a day for at least two weeks.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the combination is administered twice a day for at least six weeks.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the MADRS-SI of the human being is reduced by at least 30% after the combination is administered to the human being twice a day for one week.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the MADRS-SI of the human being is reduced by at least 50% after the combination is administered to the human being twice a day for two weeks.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the MADRS-SI of the human being is reduced by at least 60% after the combination is administered to the human being twice a day for four weeks.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein after eight days of administration of the combination twice a day, the C max of dextromethorphan in the human being is increased about 15-fold to about 25-fold as compared to a single administration of the combination.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein after eight days of administering the combination twice a day, the C min of dextromethorphan in the human being is increased about 35-fold to about 45-fold as compared to a single administration of the combination.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein after eight days of administering the combination twice a day, the AUC 0-12 of dextromethorphan in the human being is increased about 25-fold to about 45-fold as compared to a single administration of the combination.
12. The method of claim 2 , wherein after eight days of administering the combination twice a day, the C max of dextromethorphan in the human being is about 75 ng/mL to about 80 ng/mL.
13. The method of claim 2 , wherein after eight days of administering the combination twice a day, the C min of dextromethorphan is about 42 ng/mL to about 50 ng/mL.
14. The method of claim 2 , wherein after eight days of administering the combination twice a day, the AUC 0-12 of dextromethorphan in the human being is about 755 ng·hr/mL.
15. The method of claim 2 , wherein after eight days of administering the combination twice a day, the C max of bupropion in the human being is about 85 ng/mL to about 90 ng/mL.
16. The method of claim 2 , wherein after eight days of administering the combination twice a day, the C min of bupropion is about 25 ng/mL to about 35 ng/mL.
17. The method of claim 2 , wherein after eight days of administering the combination twice a day, the AUC 0-12 of bupropion in the human being is about 660 ng·hr/mL to about 670 ng·hr/mL.