Antidepressants beneficial in physically ill patients
Antidepressants are effective against depression in patients suffering from physical illnesses, according to a new systematic review by Cochrane researchers at King’s Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre in the United Kingdom.
The researchers found the drugs were more effective than placebos at treating depression in these patients.
One of the most neglected areas of healthcare research is the effects of physical illness on an individual’s mental health.
Research suggests that more than ten percent of patients suffering from physical diseases also suffer from depression.
For reasons that are not entirely clear, depression may amplify the symptoms of physical disease and increase the risk of these patients dying.
Studies suggest that doctors are less likely to prescribe antidepressants to people who are physically ill because they are unsure if they are helpful for these patients.
Therefore, it is important to know whether antidepressants can be effective in people with physical illness.
