Figure 1.

Potential drug-switching schemes. In each panel the old drug is blue, the new drug is red. The x axis represents the timeline and the y axis the percentage of the target dose. The abrupt switch consists of the immediate interruption of the old drug, starting the new drug at full dose. In the taper switch, the old drug is gradually reduced while the new drug is started at full dose. Cross-taper switch consists of gradual reduction of the old drug with gradual increase of the new drug, without overlapping the full doses. Plateau cross-taper switch consists of gradual increase of the new drug, a short overlapping of the two drugs at full dose and then gradual reduction of the old drug.