SwitchApp - application for displaying the recommended procedure when switching the treatment with antipsychotics and antidepressants
Abstract
Objective: Switching the treatment with antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs is often necessary and must be carried out effectively to minimize unjustified treatment interruptions. For these reasons, we have decided to create a simple assistance software tool - the SwitchApp application.
This application can serve as an "evidence-based" guide to determine the duration of administration and the dosing of individual medicinal products when switching between them, and thus substantially assist psychiatrists when switching respective therapy. Material and methods: Data for the Switch App were obtained from public sources (summaries of product characteristics, scientific literature, guidelines).
The most frequently used antipsychotics and antidepressants in the Czech Republic have been selected. A website was first created based on wireframes, assignments and provided documentation (using ASP.NET Core and Angular frames), which has been internally tested by a user.
When the final version of the website was approved, a mobile application was developed for Android and iOS devices (using the Apache Cordova framework). Results: The web application has a very simple intuitive interface, which can be accessed on www.switchapp.cz.
The application for mobile phones can be downloaded and installed under the name SwitchApp (TME solutions s.r.o. - medicine) on the Google Play (Android) and App Store (iOS) platforms. Antipsychotics and antidepressants are selected from the scrolling lists in the left part of the screen and therapeutic doses are entered in the right part of the screen.
After entering the required data (active substances are mandatory, the dose does not have to be entered) and clicking on the box "evaluate", a clear dosing chart and a text description in case of antipsychotics and a text description in case of antidepressants are displayed. Conclusion: SwitchApp is the first and the only Web portal and a mobile application in the Czech language assisting physicians to plan a schedule when switching medicinal products.
The application contains a clear guide offering physicians evidence-based recommendations for the gradual change of dosing of antipsychotics or antidepressants they are discontinuing or initiating. The validity of the outcomes is confirmed by the professional guarantee of the Psychiatric Society of the Czech Medical Association of J.
E. Purkyne.
However, this is only a recommended proposal for the procedure when switching pharmacotherapy in such groups of patients, but the overall health status must always be taken into account.