Maintenance use of antidepressants in Dutch general practice: non-guideline concordant.

BACKGROUND: There is hardly evidence on maintenance treatment with antidepressants in primary care. Nevertheless, depression guidelines recommend maintenance treatment i.e. treatment to prevent recurrences, in patients with high risk of recurrence, and many patients use maintenance treatment with antidepressants. This study explores the characteristics of patients on maintenance treatment with antidepressants in general practice, and compares these characteristics with guideline recommendations for maintenance treatment. METHODS: We used data (baseline, two-year and four-year follow-up) of pri... Mehr ...