What role do atypical antipsychotic drugs have in treatment-resistant depression?
Author(s): Thase ME Affiliation(s): Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA, USA. thaseme@msx.upmc.edu Publication date & source: 2002-02, J Clin Psychiatry., 63(2):95-103. Publication type: Review Despite significant advances in the treatment of depression, many patients fail to respond to treatment with adequate dose and duration. Multiple therapeutic approaches are available for the treatment of patients not responding to standard antidepressant medication. These include switching medication or combination and augmentation strategies. A substantial number of patients do not respond to multiple treatment trials. These patients suffer from treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and represent a challenge to the treating physician. There have been a growing number of reports on the use of atypical antipsychotics as augmenting agents in nonpsychotic TRD. Second-generation antipsychotics are less likely to provoke parkinsonian side effects. It has also been
