[Pharmacological guidelines for the treatment of refractory patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder]

OCD is a chronic and disabling anxiety disorder, it has a chronic course and few patients achieve true remission. OCD is clearly associated with a significant functional disability. Treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) is effective in 40 % to 60 % of patients with OCD, but that leaves a large percentage of patients who are non responsive to treatment. This article will discuss guidelines for the use of SSRIs and novel approaches for managing treatment-refractory patients.