General practitioners' perceptions of the tolerability of antidepressant drugs: a comparison of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants.

摘要: OBJECTIVE: To examine inceptions and discontinuations of antidepressants in general practice. DESIGN: An observational study analysing data from an ongoing cross sectional postal survey. Every three months a representative sample 250 doctors recorded prescribing activity for four weeks. This provided 4000 practitioner weeks recording per year. SETTING: A panel practitioners England, Wales, Scotland. SUBJECTS: Patients who began new course antidepressant or had their treatment stopped changed by the between 1 July 1990 30 June 1995. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Numbers patients prescribed antidepressant; numbers discontinuing treatment; ratio to inceptions; reasons discontinuation; proportion switches another antidepressant. RESULTS: There were 13,619 3934 selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors tricyclic during study. The number newly courses increased 116%, mostly due increase inhibitors. total was significantly lower (22%) than (33%). Differences persisted when controlled age sex severity depression. However, there more switching away they failed (72%) (58%). CONCLUSIONS: Selective are less likely be discontinued. prospective is needed practice assess implications differences discontinuation rates on clinical economic outcomes.