Phenomenology and treatment of agitation.
Agitation is a troublesome, common symptom in major depression that can be difficult to manage. It is sometimes a side effect of antidepressant treatment and may occasionally represent a mixed bipolar episode. If agitation fails to respond to an antidepressant alone, treatment may be augmented with a benzodiazepine, a neuroleptic, or lithium. Preliminary evidence indicates that divalproex, which has been found useful for bipolar disorder and for agitation associated with Alzheimer's disease, may also be effective for agitated depression. A controlled trial is now underway.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, Calif 94305-5548, USA.
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Schatzberg
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DeBattista
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017109:Akathisia, Drug-Induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D008094:Lithium; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D014635:Valproic Acid