Psychopharmacologic treatment of adolescent depression.

Child and adolescent depression is one of the greatest health concerns in our society today. This article critically reviews the literature on the psychopharmacologic treatment of adolescent depression. Although double-blind studies have failed to show the efficacy of tricyclic antidepressants, more recent evidence has emerged for the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in this population. However, placebo-controlled, double-blind studies are limited, and many of the other newer antidepressants have yet to be investigated in treating adolescent depression. Nonetheless, antidepressants are widely prescribed to these populations, and psychiatric nurses are actively involved in assessing and monitoring the need for these medications in adolescents.