Special populations and depression therapy

Today I would like to start speaking about antidepressant therapy as the most common depression cure method. However, before listing different medications in-depth I'll begin with short advices for the below-mentioned groups:

"When deciding on therapy, some clinically depressed patients require special considerations:

Bipolar disorder -- these patients have extreme mood swings (periods of excessive high spirits followed by severe depressive episodes). Typically, the antidepressants are augmented with mood stabilizers.

Children/adolescents -- The SSRI fluoxetine is the only effective (and approved) antidepressant for this age group. There have been reports that children on antidepressants are more likely to commit suicide than those who are not on antidepressants; while some data suggest that this may be true, it has not been proven conclusively. Primary care providers need to weigh the risks of antidepressant therapy versus untreated depression. Most often, treatment carries fewer risks of suicide than non-treatment.

Pregnant/postpartum women -- Depression can be a common symptom during pregnancy and postpartum -- it usually corrects itself, but sometimes severe depression must be treated (in about 10 percent of pregnant/postpartum women). Antidepressants can pass to the fetus and through breast milk. The effects of antidepressants on the developing fetus and newborn are not well known. Therefore, doctors should carefully consider the risks and benefits of treatment.

Treatment for depression is not a short-term process but a long-term project with specific goals of remission and maintenance. Multiple approaches of medication, psychotherapy and patient education are most effective in the treatment of MDD. Close consultation with a physician and/or psychiatrist can provide the best treatment options".

Source

Now good luck and you can now proceed to:

- Noradrenergic and Specific Serotonin Antidepressants (NaSSA)
- Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOI)
- Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRI)
- Tricyclic Antidepressants
- Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI)

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