Keep trying to beat depression

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

New research shows that people who don't respond to one antidepressant will often get a result if they try another one.
There are many different types of antidepressant and it's not clear who will respond to which one. Now a team at the University of Texas Southwestern reveal that those who do not respond to the first drug will often become symptom-free on trying another one.

The study involved nearly 3,000 patients with depression who started off by being treated with citalopram for up to 14 weeks. After this time, one third had recovered and the others were offered several options - including a switch of treatment or adding a second drug to citalopram. The switch/second drug was one of three antidepressants - bupropion, sertraline or venlafaxine. Of those who switched, 25 per cent recovered within 14 weeks.

Thirty per cent who added the second medication acheived recovery within 14 weeks. So, in all, half of those with depression can expect to recover after taking one or two drugs, within a few months. This compares reasonably well for treatments for other chronic diseases. However, there is a need for further research to help those who did not respond to either of the two drugs - clearly there is still a need for better treatments for depression.

Source
New England Journal of Medicine online 22nd March 2006

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