Psychotropic drug treatment

摘要

This article takes a broad view of the factors affecting the choice and effectiveness of common drugs in psychiatric use. Specific treatment issues are dealt with in earlier articles in this series. All antidepressants are equally effective in treating depression, and no single drug has been shown to have a more rapid onset of action than another. The choice of antidepressant is dictated by a combination of factors including the clinical presentation, the patient's physical health, the anticipated side effect profile, and the prescriber's preferences.