Access to a patient with a depressive disorder in the family doctor’s office

Abstract:

Depressive disorder is the most common mental disorder today and a global public health issue. The disease is accompanied by significant morbidity and a high recurrence rate. The fact is that depressive disorder is still insufficiently recognized and treated in everyday practice. Following new insights into diagnosis and treatment, by practicing a bio-psychosocial approach a family physician can detect about half of the cases of depression in their patients. Screening can be performed with clinical tools that allow for timely detection and appropriate treatment. The choice of pharmacotherapy depends on the symptoms of the disease, its severity and comorbidities. Regarding drug administration (first, second, third choice), it is important to identify potential side effects and monitor possible interactions with other drugs. The guidelines also recommend psychotherapeutic treatment in mild to moderate depression. A family physician must monitor and evaluate the course of treatment in order to make the quality of life of people with depressive disorder as good as possible. Developing a physician-patient partnership, in which patients should take a more active role in their treatment, would have a significant impact on the outcome of the treatment.

Key words:
antidepressants; depression; family medicine; guidelines