Drug therapy - The medical management of depression

Major depression and bipolar disorder are generally recurrent episodic disorders. Antidepressant and adjunctive medications can successfully treat depression and prevent future episodes. Future challenges include the identification of antidepressants that act more quickly than those currently available, which take six to eight weeks to achieve remission or substantial improvement, and that do not require continuation and maintenance treatment. A biologic classification system of subtypes of major depression is needed to facilitate the selection of the best antidepressant for each patient. Copyright © 2005 Massachusetts Medical Society.