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Treatment of Depression in the Medically Ill

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Pharmacotherapy of Depression

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Abstract

Depression and ischemic heart disease (IHD) are the two most prevalent health problems afflicting patients not only in the United States but worldwide (1). The lifetime ­prevalence of major depressive disorder in the general population of the United States has been found to be 16.2% (2). The prevalence of depression in medically ill patients is much higher, ranging 20–50%. Depression is a major ­contributor to work place absenteeism, diminished or lost productivity, and increased use of health services (3). It is also known to increase disability, morbidity, and mortality among the medically ill.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA

    Wei Jiang

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  1. Wei Jiang
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  2. K. Ranga Rama Krishnan
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Correspondence to Wei Jiang .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine, Div. Psychiatry, Boston University, Harrison Ave. 720, Boston, 02118, Massachusetts, USA

    Domenic A. Ciraulo

  2. School of Medicine, Dept. Pharmacology &, Tufts University, Harrison Ave. 136, Boston, 02111, Massachusetts, USA

    Richard Irwin Shader

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Jiang, W., Krishnan, K.R.R. (2011). Treatment of Depression in the Medically Ill. In: Ciraulo, D., Shader, R. (eds) Pharmacotherapy of Depression. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-60327-435-7_11

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