Prescribing Advice for GPs

NICE Guideline on OCD

November 28, 2005 on 12:04 pm | In Prescribing Extra - Other |  Print |

The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence has published a Guideline detailing the core interventions for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD).

The Guideline covers treatment in adults and children and takes a stepped-care approach to treatment. Treatments including individual or group based cognitive based therapy, exposure and response prevention, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants are recommended based upon the severity of the condition and the patient’s preference.

The document also contains estimates that OCD affects 1-2% of the population and BDD affects 0.5-0.7%, it is therefore important that all clinicians are able to recognise the signs and symptoms of these disorders and respond appropriately.

Action: All clinicians should be aware of the content of this Guideline appropriate to their level of patient interaction. At a minimum level, clinicians should be able to recognise the signs and symptoms of these disorders and make suitable referrals.