It is estimated that10% of patients who are prescribed antidepressants never fill the prescription, 16% stop in the first week, 41% within 2 weeks, 59% in 3 weeks, and 68% in 4 weeks. The following instructions to patients may increase adherence: […]
In case you missed it, here are the highlights from my recent national webinar entitled: Antidepressants. What You Need to Know to Best Serve Your Clients. No one antidepressant or antidepressant class consistently outperforms another from an efficacy standpoint. There are no shining stars, just lights in the sky. With antidepressants treatment, there is no right way or wrong way, only possibilities. Just get the client started on a regimen. Actions among antidepressants are different. Typically, for the depressed, agitated, [...]
It appears that most Americans take the easy way out when it comes to the treatment of depression. Given a choice between talk therapy and taking an antidepressant, the medication wins out. This is one of the key findings of a survey of 1500 readers of Consumer Reports who had sought medical help for depression and/or anxiety between January 2006 and April 2009. Nearly 80 percent of these respondents had received a prescription for an antidepressant after their diagnosis of [...]
Although not available in the United States, Valdoxan (agomelatine) is the first ever melatonergic antidepressant in that the drug activates specific melatonin receptors (MT-1, MT-2) in the brain. Valdoxan claims to improve sleep disruption without affecting daytime vigilance by exerting specific actions on the regulation of circadian rhythms. The recommended starting dose is 25mg, once daily. The big Pharma company Novartis owns the rights to market Valdoxan in the United States, but lists the drug as scheduled for submission to [...]
Q. Why do so many antidepressants seem to cause sexual dysfunction? A. In addition to its antidepressant effects, serotonin is a rather powerful vasoconstrictor. It can restrict blood flow to sexual organs and negatively impact sexual performance, libido and the ability to reach orgasm. Q. Is Prozac’s long half-life a drawback to its action? A. Yes and no. Prozac’s long half-life can be an advantage to the individual prone to forget doses, but a disadvantage to those taking additional medications [...]
- All antidepressants, irrespective of category or class, have similar efficacy, however most of them have different side effects. With antidepressants, no one-size-fits-all, therefore it makes sense for many clients to choose their own initial antidepressant based on what side effects they are willing to tolerate. - Fifty percent of depressed patients respond to antidepressants; only 43 percent attain sustained recovery from depression via their use. Being well-educated, female, employed, married, and white with no co-morbid conditions are the most [...]
1. First and foremost, you should know that depression is a real illness, not a character flaw or a weakness. In this regard, it is no different from diabetes or hypertension, and it is highly responsive to appropriate treatment, which may include more than just medication alone. 2. You should know what to expect from antidepressant medication. At least 50 percent of individuals who will respond to antidepressants begin to demonstrate improvement within a week of treatment initiation. Likely you’ll [...]
I suppose the answer to this question hinges on the definition of deliver. Let’s start up top with the bottom line: Treating depression pharmacologically is not easy! A major study, the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) is the largest independently funded clinical trial for depression. The study’s primary objective was to develop a series of evidence-based steps for guiding prescribers in making sequenced treatment choices to enhance the odds of response rates and subsequent remission. The six-year study [...]
Escitalopram (Lexapro), has gained FDA approval for the acute and maintenance treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in adolescents ages 12 to 17 years. "Adolescent depression can often be challenging to treat because there are limited treatment options that are proven to be effective and well tolerated in this patient population," noted Graham Emslie, MD, professor of psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, in an FDA news release. Escitalopram (Lexapro) is the second antidepressant to [...]
