Vasomotor symptoms and depression in women, Part 2: Treatments that cause remission and prevent relapses of major depressive episodes overlap with treatments for vasomotor symptoms

Abstract

One of the most important contemporary issues in the treatment of depression is to treat to remission of all symptoms and to prevent recurrences. 1 Increasingly, symptoms such as anxiety and pain, and now vasomotor symptoms, not classically considered diagnostic symptoms of depression, are considered closely linked to major depression and to require treatment for true remission of an MDE in patients experiencing these symptoms in addition to the classical symptoms of depression. 1,3 Although ERT may reduce vasomotor symptoms and even some symptoms of depression in some patients, risks are evident. Several antidepressants, especially the SNRIs, are emerging to treat both depression and vasomotor symptoms. Current research is exploring the risks and benefits of this approach. © Copyright 2009 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.