Problems with currently available antidepressants.
Although options for pharmacologic treatment for depression have grown seemingly exponentially over the past several decades, the current armamentarium of antidepressants continues to have limitations of both efficacy and tolerability. The problems include an unacceptable lack of efficacy, delayed onset of therapeutic effects, an inability to predict responses to one or another agent, drug-drug interactions, and difficulty with tolerability during both acute and chronic treatment. This article reviews the problems that persist in the use of currently available antidepressant medications and presents a list of attributes that would be characteristic of the ideal antidepressant.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
J F
JF
Gumnick
C B
CB
Nemeroff
D018759:Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D015195:Drug Design; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D006801:Humans; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018759:Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; D009638:Norepinephrine; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors