The reviews are decidedly mixed.

On one hand, they applaud the ACP “for taking depression seriously,” but on the other, the guidelines just focus on several classes of second generation antidepressants, including SSRIs and selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. The bottom line was they all had equivalent efficacy.

The point of contention is that only one arm of treatment was addressed, ignoring psychotherapy and electroconvulsive therapy among others.

I think the guidelines show good practicality in today’s office environment. Most depression is treated in the primary care setting, and you won’t find many generalist physicians talking about ECT or psychotherapy. Furthermore, access is decidedly poor to psychiatrists to discuss the other options.

With patient visits lasting 15-minutes, to-the-point guidelines focusing on an effective medication approach is something that I can use.

topics: depression, psychiatry