Severe Major Depression Symptoms and Risks

By discontinuing the serotonergic agent and initiating care.

Discontinuation of all serotonergic agents, supportive care aimed at normalization of vital signs, sedation with benzodiazepines, administration of serotonin antagonists, assessment of the need to resume use of causative serotonergic agents after resolution of symptoms.

Sedation with benzodiazepines

<p>Cyproheptadine</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>TCAs, venlafaxine</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To help with hyperthermia</p> Signup and view all the answers

<ol> <li>Relieve psychological and physical symptoms, 2. Improve functional capacity, 3. Reduce the likelihood of self-harm or suicide</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Drug treatment should be started when the depression is moderate to severe, and the diagnostic criteria have been fulfilled for more than 2 weeks.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Psychotherapy, especially cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), is recommended in addition to drug treatment.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Severe depression, such as with serious suicidal behavior or psychotic features, warrants management by a psychiatrist, often in a hospital setting.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<ol> <li>Previous response to antidepressants, 2. Concurrent medical and psychiatric illnesses, 3. Adverse effects of the drug, 4. Potential for drug interactions</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Psychotherapy alone may be effective in treating mild to moderate cases of depression.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The main symptoms of severe major depression include considerable distress, agitation or psychomotor retardation, inability to continue usual activities beyond a minimal extent, prominent somatic symptoms, and high risk of suicide.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The primary aim of treatment for severe major depression is to prevent harm and relieve distress, or to be prophylactic.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The two main types of psychotherapy mentioned are psychodynamic psychotherapy and cognitive therapy.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Severe major depression is uncommon (less than 5% of those presenting with depression) in primary care or community (outpatient) practice.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>For moderate to severe depression, pharmacological intervention is important, in addition to considering social, cultural and environmental influences on the patient.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Cognitive therapy assumes that a patient's symptoms like anxiety and depression arise from misperceptions and dysfunctional thoughts and beliefs, and it teaches patients to identify and respond to these thoughts and beliefs to change their thinking, mood, and behavior.</p> Signup and view all the answers