Use of antidepressant medications in the general practice setting. A critical review.
BACKGROUND
Antidepressants are commonly prescribed in general practice for depression, but also for a wide range of other psychiatric conditions and physical problems.


OBJECTIVE
This review, although concentrating on the use of antidepressants in depression, also reviews their use in other conditions commonly seen in general practice.


CONCLUSIONS
For most major depression, all antidepressant drugs have equal efficacy. The choice of antidepressant drug needs to be tailored to the particular patient's medical condition and personal preferences. It is likely that adverse effects are the major determinant in the choice of antidepressant for a particular patient. However, in treating conditions other than depression, the efficacy of the antidepressant drug can be the primary issue of drug choice.
Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne, Victoria.
Kelsey
K
Hegarty
David
D
Ames
Jeremy
J
Anderson
Caroline
C
Johnson
Roslyn
R
McKinnon
Rob
R
Moulds
D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000600:supply & distribution / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001315:Australia; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D016527:Drug Costs; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005194:Family Practice / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D018579:Patient Selection; D012449:Safety; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D000928:Antidepressive Agents