Quetiapine: novel uses in the treatment of depressive and anxiety disorders.

IMPORTANCE OF THE FIELD

Quetiapine, an atypical antipsychotic, has been approved for the treatment of schizophrenia, acute mania, bipolar depression and unipolar major depression. However, it is often used (off-label) to treat other depressive disorders and anxiety disorders in children and adults.

AREAS COVERED IN THIS REVIEW

This article reviews the evidence for the safety and efficacy of quetiapine in these populations, as both monotherapy and augmentation to other psychotropics.

WHAT THE READER WILL GAIN

This article provides an in-depth review of the published literature on the topic and also provides recommendations for use.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

There is strong evidence to support the use of quetiapine in major depressive and generalized anxiety disorders, and preliminary support for treatment-resistant and psychotic depression. There is reasonable evidence of its benefits as an augmenting agent in obsessive-compulsive disorder, while data in other anxiety disorders are limited but promising. While long-term tolerability data are limited, quetiapine appears well tolerated in the short-term. Further randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm the efficacy and tolerability of quetiapine, both short- and long-term, in many of these conditions.