Considerations in the management of the patient with comorbid depression and anxiety.
OBJECTIVE
To provide clinicians with guidelines for the assessment, evaluation, diagnosis, and management of comorbid depression and anxiety in the primary care setting.


METHODS
Research-based articles in the medical and psychiatric literature, literature reviews by experts in the field, and DSM-IV-TR.


CONCLUSIONS
Comorbid anxiety and depression occurs at a high rate in primary care, and is costly to both the individual and to society. These patients most often present in primary care settings, have more severe symptoms, and require more health care resources. The presentation of depression and anxiety together pose complicated diagnostic and treatment challenges, leading to inadequate diagnosis and treatment resulting in unnecessary patient distress and increased utilization of health care services.


CONCLUSIONS
This article is a review of comorbid depression and anxiety with a focus upon societal and patient significance and impact, under recognition and under treatment, diagnostic challenges, medical comorbidity, treatment considerations, and educational strategies. Effective assessment, evaluation, diagnosis and treatment can lead to better treatment outcomes and improved quality of life in primary care patients.
Sekula
L Kathleen
LK
School of Nursing, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. sekula@duq.edu
DeSantis
Joe
J
Gianetti
Vincent
V
D000465:Algorithms; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic
D000928:Antidepressive Agents