Depressed patients should be allowed to choose their treatmentMarch 27, 2001Generic counselling appears to be as effective as antidepressant drugs for major depression, although patients given drugs may recover more quickly, according to a study in this week's BMJ. The findings also shows that, given a choice, patients who opt for counselling may benefit more than those with no strong preference and therefore GPs should allow patients to have their preferred treatment. Over 100 depressed patients were randomly allocated either antidepressants or counselling and a further 220 patients were given their choice of treatment. After 12 months, the two methods were equally effective, although patients treated with antidepressants recovered more quickly than those receiving counselling did. Most patients who were given a choice opted for counselling, and these patients did better than those randomised to counselling. Despite some study limitations, the authors recommend that general practitioners should allow patients to have their choice of treatment. British Medical Journal (BMJ) |
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| Related Antidepressants Current Events and Antidepressants News Articles Men leave: Separation and divorce far more common when the wife is the patient A woman is six times more likely to be separated or divorced soon after a diagnosis of cancer or multiple sclerosis than if a man in the relationship is the patient, according to a study that examined the role gender played in so-called "partner abandonment." The study also found that the longer the marriage the more likely it would remain intact. Hunting for the Prozac Gene Prozac works wonders for some depressed people, but not for others. In some cases, patients derive little benefit and at worst, it can lead to bizarre hallucinations and fits of rage. Why antidepressants don't work for so many More than half the people who take antidepressants for depression never get relief. Study reveals an increase in long-term antidepressant drug use A dramatic rise in antidepressant prescriptions issued by GPs has been caused by a year on year increase in the number of people taking antidepressant drugs on a long-term basis, according to researchers from the University of Southampton. Popular antidepressant associated with a dramatic increase in suicidal thoughts amongst men Nortriptyline has been found to cause a ten-fold increase in suicidal thoughts in men when compared to its competitor escitalopram. These findings are published in the open access journal BMC Medicine. Antidepressant and placebo are equally effective in child pain relief When used "off-label," the antidepressant amitriptyline works just as well as placebo in treating pain-predominant gastrointestinal disorders in children, according to a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute. Antidepressants: benefit of SNRI is proven The Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) was commissioned by the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) to investigate whether patients with depression benefit from taking drugs belonging to the selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) drug class. Worth the effort? Not if you're depressed New research indicates that decreased cravings for pleasure may be at the root of a core symptom of major depressive disorder. The research is in contrast to the long-held notion that those suffering from depression lack the ability to enjoy rewards, rather than the desire to seek them. Almost 1 quarter of Spanish women take antidepressants Psychopharmaceutical use has risen over recent years. This is fact, but what is not clear is the reason why. Antidepressants aid electroconvulsive therapy in treating severe depression Combining antidepressant drugs with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) does a better job of reducing symptoms of severe depression and causes less memory loss than using ECT alone. More Antidepressants Current Events and Antidepressants News Articles |
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