Treatment - Medication /
Pharmacotherapy
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Choice of treatment when the depression is: more severe, chronic, recurrent, psychotic, melancholic, prior positive response, there is a family history of depression, patient preference, failure to respond to psychotherapy. | |
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Changes the brain chemistry and function by regulating the availability of certain neurotransmitters that affect, mood, appetite, sleep, energy level, thought processes and behavior. | |
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Minimum 4-6 week trial (initiation and regulation may take months). | |
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The newer antidepressants, serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI’s), fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, and the non-SSRIs (bubropion, venlafaxine, and nefazodone) are favored over the tricyclic antidepressants as first-line agents because of the low side-effect profile. | |
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The newer antidepressants, serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI’s), fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, and the non-SSRIs (bubropion, venlafaxine, and nefazodone) are favored over the tricyclic antidepressants as first-line agents because of the low side-effect profile. | |
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Secondary tricyclics (desipramine, nortriptyline) are used in the more melancholic depressions. | |
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Sometimes a combination of antidepressant or other psychotropic or non psychotropic medication (psychostimulants, anti-anxiety, estrogen, thyroid hormone) may be used in the treatment of depression, as adjunctive therapies or to treat specific symptoms (trazodone for insomnia). |
