Acute Medicine | Palliative care | Management of depression

Management of depression
Session overview
Description
This session provides a framework for an integrated management of depression.

It was reviewed by Felicity Wood and Sarah Hanrott and last updated in May 2023.

Learning objectives
By the end of this session you will be able to:

• list the different interventions, drug and non-drug, available for depression and their place in treating depression in end-of-life care
• outline the usefulness and limitations of each intervention
• list the main groups of antidepressants that are used in symptom management of depression, giving examples from each group
• explain the mode of action of the different antidepressants and main adverse (unwanted) effects
• describe a practical, incremental approach to managing depression in an end of life care population

Prerequisites
Before commencing this session you should complete:

• Assessment of mood (215-0432)

Patients with advanced illness who are depressed need prompt management. Depressed mood lies in a continuum from mild to severe.

Antidepressant medication should be offered for moderate and severe (or major) depressive symptoms and referral to the psychiatry service should be considered. Patients with depressive symptoms may also benefit from psychological interventions, such as psychosocial support, formal counselling, or a specific cognitive intervention.

This session provides a framework for an integrated management of depression.