| Title | How should we treat major depression combined with anxiety? | | Author(s) | Trotter B, Kelsberg G, St Anna L, Lo V | | Institution | Valley Family Medicine Residency, Renton, WA USA. | | Source | J Fam Pract 2007 Apr; 56(4):306-8. | | Abstract | One approach is to use antidepressants alone, which reduce symptoms for patients with major depression plus symptoms of anxiety or major depression plus generalized anxiety disorder. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), tricyclics (TCAs), bupropion, mirtazapine, nefazodone, and venlafaxine are equally effective for combined symptom relief (strength of recommendation [SOR]: A, based on systematic review of randomized controlled trials [RCTs]). Another approach is to add a benzodiazepine to the antidepressant. This reduces anxiety symptoms (more in the short term) and decreases patient dropout, but it also has possible harms, including development of dependence and accident proneness (SOR: A, based on systematic review of RCTs). Psychotherapy, particularly cognitive behavioral therapy, produces and maintains reductions in symptoms of anxiety and depression that are comparable with the reductions seen with medication (SOR: A, based on systematic review of RCTs). | | Language | eng | | Pub Type(s) | Journal Article
| | PubMed ID | 17403330 |
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