Drug Treatment of Depression in Children and Adolescents
Drug Treatment of Depression in Children and Adolescents
Major depression is a common, debilitating and potentially life-threatening disorder. When compared with the pharmacological treatment of major depressive episodes during adulthood, relatively little is known about the pharmacological treatment of depression during the paediatric years. Because of disappointing results and the significant potential for adverse effects with tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), neither of these drug classes can be recommended for the treatment of depression in children and adolescents. However, several newer medications, including the selective serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), hold promise for the treatment of this patient group, mainly because these drugs are relatively well tolerated (see Differential features table). To date, none of these agents have been approved for use in children.
Major depression is a common, debilitating and potentially life-threatening disorder. When compared with the pharmacological treatment of major depressive episodes during adulthood, relatively little is known about the pharmacological treatment of depression during the paediatric years. Because of disappointing results and the significant potential for adverse effects with tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), neither of these drug classes can be recommended for the treatment of depression in children and adolescents. However, several newer medications, including the selective serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), hold promise for the treatment of this patient group, mainly because these drugs are relatively well tolerated (see Differential features table). To date, none of these agents have been approved for use in children.
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