title: The long-term treatment of depression.
abstract: Depression is a recurrent and chronic disorder requiring long-term treatment. Although this fact is generally well accepted, depression remains frequently underrecognized and often undertreated. Recent guidelines recommend that treatment with antidepressants should be continued for at least 4 to 6 months after the initial response and that long-term prophylactic treatment be given to patients who have experienced 2 or more depressive episodes. However, there is little consensus on the duration for which continuation or maintenance treatment should be given. This article reviews the long-term strategy for the treatment of unipolar major depression, particularly in terms of duration of treatment, and which types of patients would benefit from maintenance treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, and Butler Hospital, Providence, RI 02906, USA.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Keller
mesh_terms: D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006801:Humans; D007099:Imipramine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008803:Mianserin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000078785:Mirtazapine; D011613:Psychotherapy; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D007099:Imipramine; D008803:Mianserin; D000078785:Mirtazapine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors