New strategies for treating chronic depression.

Abstract

This article provides an update on the diagnosis of chronic depression subtypes, the clinical and public health significance of chronic depression, and a review of what is known about its treatment. The efficacy of antidepressant medications for pure dysthymia and double depression has been established, yet fewer than 50% of patients have achieved full remission with a single agent. Traditional antidepressant psychotherapies appear to have limited effectiveness for chronic depression. In one recent study, a combination of cognitive behavioral analysis system of psychotherapy and a newer antidepressant, nefazodone, yielded the highest response and remission rates ever reported in this population (73% response rate, 48% remission rate in an intent-to-treat sample). This combination merits further study for treatment of chronic depression.

• Authors: J H Kocsis
• Journal: The Journal of clinical psychiatry (J Clin Psychiatry) Vol. 61 Suppl 11 Pg. 42-5 ( 2000) ISSN: 0160-6689 [Print] United States
• PMID: 10926054 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Antidepressive Agents
• Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation
• Piperazines
• Triazoles
• nefazodone

Topics

• Antidepressive Agents (therapeutic use)
• Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation (therapeutic use)
• Chronic Disease
• Clinical Trials as Topic
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Combined Modality Therapy
• Depressive Disorder (diagnosis, drug therapy, therapy)
• Humans
• Piperazines
• Treatment Outcome
• Triazoles (therapeutic use)