[Prescription of antidepressants in family practice]

To evaluate the prescription of antidepressants in general practice.

Retrospective observational study.

Three health centres and one practice with two partners in the Western part of the Netherlands (near Leiden).

Medication data and daily medical records of general practitioners (GPs) were analysed in the anonymous data set of Registratie network universitaire huisartspraktijken Leiden en Omstreken (RNUH-LEO, with a total of about 23,000 patients) of patients 18 years of age and over, whom the GP issued a first prescription for an antidepressant in the period May 1994-April 1995. For indication 'depression' we also evaluated whether the prescription was repeated and a minimal effective dosage was reached.

In one year 218 patients received a first prescription of an antidepressant (9/1,000/year), mostly a classical antidepressant. In 61% the indication 'depression' was found in the medical records. Sixty-three per cent had a repeat prescription after one month. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors were repeated more frequently than classical antidepressants, especially for patients under the age of 65. The minimally effective dosage was reached in 61% of the patients with depression for the classical antidepressants, and for 98% of patients with serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

Serotonin reuptake inhibitors were not prescribed more frequently than classical antidepressants. The percentage of patients with repeat prescriptions showed that the GPs should pay continued attention to compliance with therapy when prescribing antidepressants. The effective dosage appeared to be reached most often with serotonin reuptake inhibitors.