The Pharmacologic Treatment of Depression

IN the past 30 years, there have been major changes in the diagnosis and treatment of depression. Moreover, the biochemical theories of depression suggest that subgroups of patients respond to drugs that affect particular neurotransmitters, in a manner analogous to suggested subgroup responses in hypertension.¹ Nonetheless, the original tricyclic antidepressant agents are still the drugs of choice for most patients with major depressive disorders.^{2 , 3} What follows is a review directed to creating a rational basis for selection among the available antidepressant drugs.Diagnosis of DepressionDepression is currently diagnosed according to the 1987 revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual . . .