Abstract
Agitation is a troublesome, common symptom in major depression that can be difficult to manage. It is sometimes a side effect of antidepressant treatment and may occasionally represent a mixed bipolar episode. If agitation fails to respond to an antidepressant alone, treatment may be augmented with a benzodiazepine, a neuroleptic, or lithium. Preliminary evidence indicates that divalproex, which has been found useful for bipolar disorder and for agitation associated with Alzheimer's disease, may also be effective for agitated depression. A controlled trial is now underway.
MeSH terms
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Adolescent
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Adult
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Aged
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Akathisia, Drug-Induced / diagnosis
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Akathisia, Drug-Induced / drug therapy
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Akathisia, Drug-Induced / epidemiology
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Antipsychotic Agents / therapeutic use
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Anxiety Disorders / diagnosis
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Anxiety Disorders / epidemiology
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Anxiety Disorders / psychology
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Benzodiazepines / therapeutic use
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Clinical Trials as Topic
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Comorbidity
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Depressive Disorder / drug therapy*
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Depressive Disorder / epidemiology
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Depressive Disorder / psychology
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Diagnosis, Differential
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Female
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Humans
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Lithium / therapeutic use
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Middle Aged
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Prevalence
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Psychomotor Agitation / diagnosis
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Psychomotor Agitation / drug therapy*
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Psychomotor Agitation / epidemiology
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Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / adverse effects
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Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / therapeutic use
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Valproic Acid / therapeutic use
Substances
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Antipsychotic Agents
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Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors
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Benzodiazepines
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Valproic Acid
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Lithium