First sentence reads: “GPs should not prescribe antidepressants routinely for long periods, or to treat mild depression, NICE has warned.”
http://www.healthcarerepublic.com/news/948602/NICE-warns-GPs-antidepressant-use/
Sanjay Tanday, healthcarerepublic.com,
28 October 2009, 00:15am
GPs should not prescribe antidepressants routinely for long periods, or to treat mild depression, NICE [National Institute for Clinical Excellence] has warned.
BMJ research reveals an increase in long-term antidepressant use across the UK
Updated guidance published this week says GPs should only consider the drugs for patients with moderate or severe depression, or those suffering sub-threshold depressive symptoms for at least two years.
The latest guidance comes as research in the BMJ reveals an increase in long-term antidepressant use across the UK.
The researchers assessed all cases of depression from 1993 to 2005 across 170 surgeries, covering 1.7 million patients.
They found that prescriptions per patient rose from 2.8 in 1993 to 5.6 in 2004, despite a drop in the number of patients diagnosed with depression.
The researchers said the rise may be due to more patients taking antidepressants on a long-term basis.
* Read the full version of this story in this week’s edition of GP dated 30 October
My 67 year old husband was prescribed 60 ml of celexa daily and clonazapam and began to have uncontrollable muscle spasms and tightness when he tried to go to sleep at night. He groans and makes weird noises and it takes hours to fall asleep. The doctor took him off completely and prescribed trazedone, Still he could not sleep. Thent he doctor prescribed wellbutrin and temazepam and he is he only sleeping a couple hours but has just as much difficulty falling asleep. Help…he wants to die now, mood is getting worse than ever. losing all hope he will ever be able to sleep. roxanne