Mirtazapine Creating “Miracles” in Psychotic Depression With Catatonia

Abstract

Catatonia is commonly seen in patients with mood disorders and schizophrenia. The treatment of catatonia requires immediate attention as delayed care resulted in malignant catatonia. The first-line treatment for catatonia is benzodiazepines (BZDs) with rapid improvement. First-generation antipsychotics (FGAs) increase the risk of neuroleptic malignant syndrome and so are avoided in catatonic patients. Second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) are recommended for treatment in catatonic patients. Treatment for catatonia due to depression includes serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). When an individual manifests catatonia during an episode of depression with psychotic features, it is valid to administer both SSRIs and SGAs. Relatively very few studies have examined the use of atypical antidepressants, such as mirtazapine, and so we present a case of catatonia due to severe depression with psychotic features that improved significantly after the introduction of mirtazapine. Despite the beneficial effects of mirtazapine in psychotic depression and catatonia, it is underutilized due to the scarcity of literature. We recommend future clinical studies to evaluate mirtazapine's "miracle" effects, particularly in such patients presenting with psychotic depression and catatonia. Copyright © 2020, Patel et al.