Benzodiazepines for treatment of depressive disorders; [Depresif bozukluk tanili hastalarda benzodiazepin kullanimi]
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Date
2000
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Abstract
Object: In conventional publications use of benzodiazepines for treatment of depressive disorders is often recommended as a final chance. In fact, depression implicates symptoms of anxiety as well; anxiety is one of the most frequently encountered symptoms and is among the most sensitive symptoms to show whether depressed patient is getting better or worse. Therefore an effective depression treatment should overcome the anxiety symptoms as well. A period of 2-4 weeks is required in treatment for the effects of antidepressants to start and in clinical practice physicians frequently add other medications to anti-depressants for rapid and additional effects. This study aims to examine the frequency of use of benzodiazepine in treatment of patients with depressive disorder in routine clinical practice. Method: In this study, records of 248 patients who applied to psychiatry outpatient ward of Celal Bayar University Hospital in 1998 and diagnosed with depressive disorder were analyzed. 83.1% of patients were women and 16.9% were men. Diagnostic dispersion was as follows: 65.7% of patients had major depressive disorder, single episode, 2.0% had major depressive disorder, recurrent, 0.8% had bipolar depression, 20.6% had dysthymic disorder and 10.9% had depressive disorder not otherwise specified. Results: 61.7% of patients were prescribed anxiolytic drugs alongside with antidepressant treatment. Use of benzodiazepine in patients with insomnia and anxiety symptoms was statistically higher (P=0.000) when compared to those not having such symptoms. In addition, drop out rates were less with patients having benzodiazepine as a supplement to their routine treatment (p=0.000). Conclussions: This study has shown that use of benzodiazepine in depressed patients, particularly those with anxiety and insomnia symptoms is rather common and this practice enables patients to adapt to treatment better.