Treating Teen Depression in Primary Care

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Pediatrics
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Adolescent depression presents with symptoms like sleep difficulties, dysthymia, and anhedonia.
• Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common diagnosis in adolescents, often with a family history.
• Adolescents with MDD may benefit from pharmacotherapy in addition to psychotherapy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To illustrate a case of adolescent major depressive disorder.
• To discuss the role of pharmacotherapy in treating adolescent depression.
• To encourage primary care pediatricians to consider prescribing first-line antidepressants for eligible adolescents.

Main Methods:

• A clinical case vignette of a 17-year-old male patient with unipolar major depressive disorder.
• Review of diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder in adolescents.
• Discussion of pharmacotherapy as a treatment option.

Main Results:

• The patient met diagnostic criteria for unipolar major depressive disorder.
• He had classic symptoms and a strong family history of depression.
• He was deemed a suitable candidate for antidepressant medication initiation.

Conclusions:

• Adolescents with major depressive disorder can be good candidates for antidepressant medication.
• Primary care pediatricians should feel confident in prescribing first-line agents for adolescent depression.
• Collaboration with child and adolescent psychiatry may be beneficial but should not replace primary care comfort with these medications.