Pitfalls of Long-term Antidepressant Treatment

Overview

The pitfalls of long-term treatment are discussed. There are some differences among the goals ofacute, continuous and maintenance treatment. In the acute phase it is important to achieve fullremission, because in this case the frequency of relapses and recurrences can be reduced. Themean therapeutic efficacy of available antidepressants is similar, but there are differences intheir capacity to achieve complete remission and in the profile of side-effects. In long-term treat-ment which is very often necessary in many patients other criteria for choice of optimal antidep-ressants are important, for example some persistent side-effects. Compliance is one very frequentand underestimated aspect.

Key words:
depression, maintenance treatment, choice of antidepressant, non-compliance.