[The practice guideline 'Depressive disorder' (first revision) from the Dutch College of General Practitioners; a response from the perspective of psychiatry].
The first revision of the Dutch guidelines for the treatment of depressive disorders by general practitioners adapted the international psychiatric nomenclature for the diagnosis of depressive disorders. This enhances collaboration between general practitioners and psychiatrists. The use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in this guideline is an advantage compared to the earlier version. The distinction between the indication for cognitive therapy and for antidepressant treatment is not very clear in this guideline. Overall the guideline represents a scientific and conservative stance in the treatment of depressed patients, which is commendable. The use of target plasma level concentrations with tricyclic antidepressants, better guidelines for the use of antidepressants or cognitive therapy, and the use of severity rating scales during treatment could further improve the next version of this guideline.
van den Broek
W W
WW
Erasmus Medisch Centrum, afd. Psychiatrie, Postbus 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam. w.w.vandenbroek@erasmusmc.nl
D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D009426:Netherlands; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards*; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000592:standards*; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012955:Societies, Medical
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors