title: Clinical importance of long-term antidepressant treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Depression, which only a few decades ago was considered to be a short-term illness requiring short-term treatment, is now recognised as a recurrent, sometimes chronic, long-term illness.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To highlight the clinical importance of long-term antidepressant therapy in the treatment of depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  The current literature was reviewed to examine the relationship between duration of antidepressant therapy and efficacy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Approximately one-third to a half of patients successfully stabilised in acute-phase treatment will relapse if medication is not sustained throughout the continuation period. Only 10-15% will relapse if medication is continued. For maintenance-phase therapy, approximately 60% of patients at risk will experience a recurrent episode of depression within 1 year if untreated, whereas those who continue in treatment will have a recurrence rate of between 10% and 30%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Risk of relapse and recurrence of depression can be significantly reduced if adequate continuation and maintenance therapy durations are achieved.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 1.302 Rebecca Sealy, 301 University Blvd, Galveston, TX 77555-0188, USA. rohirsch@utmb.edu
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Hirschfeld
mesh_terms: D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D055502:Secondary Prevention
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents