Depression, drugs and somatic diseases

Extract

• Depression is a common disorder related to other psychiatric and somatic diseases, and it often complicates the diagnosis and treatment.
• According to various studies 20–60% of patients with general medical conditions have symptoms of depression and 15–45% fulfil the criteria of a mood disorder.
• Remember somatic diseases that may cause depression (table Examples of medical conditions, drugs and psychoactive substances that may cause mood disorders1).
• Rule out possible drugs and narcotic substances that may cause mood disorders (table Examples of medical conditions, drugs and psychoactive substances that may cause mood disorders1).
• The role of somatic differential diagnosis is especially emphasized:
  • in elderly patients with no previous mood disorders
  • in patients with atypical symptoms of depression
  • in patients who do not benefit from traditional treatment of depression
• In a patient with somatic disease it is not always easy to differentiate the somatic symptoms from those of depression.
• A somatic disease may contribute to the development of depression both through a direct physiological and an indirect psychological reaction formation.
• The potential interactions with the medications used for somatic diseases should be taken into account when starting drug treatment for depression.

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Depression, F32*, Internal medicine, Neurology, Pharmaceutical Preparations, Psychiatry, drug, somatic disease