American journal of therapeutics
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Depressed patients consult with their primary care physician before engaging the services of a mental health care provider. Primary care physicians initiate more antidepressant pharmacotherapy than psychiatrists. Major depression has been estimated to have a 5% to 10% prevalence, with up to three times that percentage having significant subsyndromal depression symptoms. ⋯ Included in this article are a review of traditional and newer antidepressants, their pharmacokinetics, their pharmacodynamics, and an elaborate interaction focus. Special emphasis is focused on individual antidepressants and class of antidepressants. This article provides comprehensive insights in perception, recognition, treatment, and the selection process involving antidepressants.