title: Affective spectrum disorders: how to recognize and treat depression.
abstract: Depression often goes undiagnosed. Even when pharmacotherapy is initiated, many patients discontinue therapy and thus risk relapse. Depression may occur at any age; however, the average age of onset is the late twenties. Acronyms have been developed to help the clinician recognize depression in the clinical setting. Common medications, abused substances, and medical disorders may cause and/or mimic depression. If pharmacotherapy is deemed appropriate, the choice of antidepressant is based on personal/family history of response to a particular agent and the side effect profile of the agent, as well as suicide risk. The tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors are associated with anticholinergic effects, orthostasis, and risk of death in overdose. The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors may have more tolerable adverse effects. Newer agents have also been marketed; however, the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are generally the drugs of first choice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Scott & White Memorial Hospital, Temple, Texas,USA.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Jermain
mesh_terms: D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans