title: Depression and sexual desire.
abstract: Decreased libido disproportionately affects patients with depression. The relationship between depression and decreased libido may be blurred, but treating one condition frequently improves the other. Medications used to treat depression may decrease libido and sexual function. Frequently, patients do not volunteer problems related to sexuality, and physicians rarely ask about such problems. Asking a depressed patient about libido and sexual function and tailoring treatment to minimize adverse effects on sexual function can significantly increase treatment compliance and improve the quality of the patient's life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Missori-Columbia School of Medicine, 65212, USA.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Slaughter
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D003663:Decision Trees; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007989:Libido / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors