Treating Depression in the Medically Ill

This article assesses the course of depressive disorders in persons who have comorbid medical illness. The article reviews a series of randomized, controlled studies of antidepressant treatment in subjects who have major depressive disorder (MDD) and selected medical illnesses. It also reviews a series of studies that compare the outcome of antidepressant treatment in subjects who have MDD with and without comorbid medical illness. It reviews hypotheses on the mechanism of the interaction between medical illness and clinical response in MDD. It concludes with clinical strategies recommended in depressed subjects who have medical comorbidity.