Physical Symptoms of Depression May Be MisdiagnosedJuly 16, 2004A study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine revealed that physicians sometimes misattribute ill-defined physical symptoms to causes other than what may actually be depression. Patients complaining of physical ailments related to depression may not receive appropriate treatment from their doctors, as compared to patients who present with psychological symptoms. Palpitations, hot flashes, chest pains, or problems with appetite, can be overlooked as signs of depression, according to a study of 200 adults. The study focused on a secondary analysis of patients beginning a new treatment episode for depression, and evaluated the effects of treatment as a result of physical versus psychological symptoms presented. "While we are aware that current depression treatment is most often ineffective," offers author Dr. Robert D. Keeley, "we attempted to define the patient group that does not receive appropriate treatment, or does not respond to adequate treatment, by returning to the basic medical tenet of listening to the patient." The findings pointed out that physicians sometimes misattribute ill-defined physical symptoms to causes other than depression. The most effective treatments, regardless of symptoms, were successful because they matched patient preference. Patients who had physical symptoms of depression were less likely to agree with a medical diagnosis of depression and thus tended to be nonaccepting of antidepressants, while 72% of patients with psychological symptoms who were presented with antidepressants as a treatment showed improved outcomes. The study concludes that physicians need to search for new or modified interventions for depression when treating a patient with physical symptoms to improve the outcome. | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Related Depression Current Events and Depression News Articles Vision problems prompt older drivers to put down the keys With 30 million drivers in the US aged 65 and over, we count on older Americans to recognize when they can no longer drive safely and decide that it's time to stay off the road. A new study finds that a decrease in vision function is a key factor in bringing about this decision. Smoking during pregnancy fosters aggression in children Women who smoke during pregnancy risk delivering aggressive kids according to a new Canada-Netherlands study published in the journal Development and Psychopathology. While previous studies have shown that smoking during gestation causes low birth weight, this research shows mothers who light up during pregnancy can predispose their offspring to an additional risk: violent behaviour. Expectant brains help predict anxiety treatment success A network of emotion-regulating brain regions implicated in the pathological worry that can grip patients with anxiety disorders may also be useful for predicting the benefits of treatment. Family rejection of LGB children linked to poor health in early childhood For the first time, researchers have established a clear link between family rejection of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) adolescents and negative health outcomes in early adulthood. Another reason to get your hands dirty The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days of the week in order to maintain and improve optimal health. Childhood anxiety disorders can and should be treated, according to UT Southwestern national expert Anxiety disorders in children and adolescents should be recognized and treated to prevent educational underachievement and adult substance abuse, anxiety disorders and depression, says a nationally recognized child psychiatrist from UT Southwestern Medical Center. Hormones increase frequency of inherited form of migraine in women Familial hemiplegic migraine (FHM) is an inherited form of severe migraine that is accompanied by visual disturbances known as aura. As with other types of migraine, it affects women more frequently than men. What is the effect of fluoxetine on mast cell? Mast cells are now recognized as "granular cells of the connective tissue", whose activation exacerbates allergic immune responses and as key players in the establishment of innate immunity as well as modulators of adaptive immune responses. Vulnerability to post-traumatic stress disorder runs in families, study shows Earthquakes have aftershocks - not just the geological kind but the mental kind as well. Just like veterans of war, earthquake survivors can experience post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety. Not Just for Depression Anymore Prozac is regularly prescribed to ease the emotional pain of patients who are being treated for cancer. But can this common anti-depressant help to fight cancer itself? More Depression Current Events and Depression News Articles |
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