Treatment of depression: antidepressant monotherapy and combination therapy.
We investigated the use of antidepressants in the treatment of depression. According to our data, antidepressants are most commonly used alone (85%); however, the prevalence of antidepressant monotherapy decreases as the physician's impression of patient severity increases (92% mild, 84% moderate, 73% severe). Psychiatrists are more likely to use antidepressant combinations than primary care physicians (32% vs. 8%). With respect to combination therapy, the most likely agent to be used in combination with an antidepressant in the treatment of depression was another antidepressant (6.4%); followed by anxiety agents (5.2%), antipsychotics (2.4%), and mood stabilizers and sleep aids (1.2% each). An expert commentary on the data is provided.
Cascade
Elisa F
EF
Ms. Cascade is Vice President, Strategic Research and Safety, Quintiles Inc., Falls Church, Virginia.
Kalali
Amir H
AH
Blier
Pierre
P