Treatment of unipolar depression accompanied by delusions. ECT versus tricyclic antidepressant--antipsychotic combinations.
A retrospective chart study conducted to compare the effectiveness of ECT to tricyclic antidepressant--antipsychotic combination therapy in the treatment of psychotic major depressive disorder. A favorable treatment response occurred in 86% of the ECT-treated patients and 42% of the antidepressant--antipsychotic-treated patients. Depressive symptoms showed improvement in all ECT-treated patients but only 50% of the tricyclic antidepressant--antipsychotic-treated patients. It was concluded that a significantly better treatment response can be expected in delusional depressed patients if treated with ECT rather than a tricyclic antidepressant--antipsychotic drug combination.
D000328:Adult; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003702:Delusions / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis
D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents