Augmentation (pharmacology) explained

Augmentation, in the context of the pharmacological management of psychiatry, refers to the combination of two or more drugs to achieve better treatment results. Examples include:

Prescribing an atypical antipsychotic when someone is already taking a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor for the treatment of depression.^[1]
Prescribing estrogen for someone already being treated with antipsychotics for the management of schizophrenia.^[2]
Giving an adenosine A2A receptor antagonist on top of existing treatment for Parkinson's disease.^[3]

In pharmacology, the term is occasionally used to describe treatments that increase (augment) the concentration of some substance in the body. This might be done when someone is deficient in a hormone, enzyme, or other endogenous substance. For example:

Use of DDCIs in addition to L-DOPA, to reduce conversion of L-DOPA outside the brain.
To give α1 antitrypsin to someone with alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency.^[4]

Notes and References

Wright. BM. Eiland EH. 3rd. Lorenz. R. Augmentation with atypical antipsychotics for depression: a review of evidence-based support from the medical literature.. Pharmacotherapy. March 2013. 33. 3. 344–59. 23456734. 10.1002/phar.1204. 2421659 .
Begemann. MJ. Dekker. CF. van Lunenburg. M. Sommer. IE. Estrogen augmentation in schizophrenia: a quantitative review of current evidence.. Schizophrenia Research. November 2012. 141. 2–3. 179–84. 22998932. 10.1016/j.schres.2012.08.016. 40584474 .
Zhu. C. Wang. G. Li. J. Chen. L. Wang. C. Wang. Y. Lin. P. Ran. H. Adenosine A2A receptor antagonist istradefylline 20 versus 40 mg/day as augmentation for Parkinson's disease: a meta-analysis.. Neurological Research. November 2014. 36. 11. 1028–34. 24725292. 10.1179/1743132814y.0000000375. 206852879.
Campos. MA. Lascano. J. α1 Antitrypsin deficiency: current best practice in testing and augmentation therapy.. Therapeutic Advances in Respiratory Disease. October 2014. 8. 5. 150–61. 25013223. 10.1177/1753465814542243. 32383294 .