Use of antipsychotic drugs in depression. Problems and opportunities.

Antipsychotic drugs have an important place in pharmacologic treatment of depression. Major depression with psychotic features responds poorly to treatment if an antipsychotic is not used in addition to an antidepressant; however, an antipsychotic confers no additional benefit in nonpsychotic depression. Antipsychotic drugs do have significant short- and long-term side effects, including pseudoparkinsonism, dystonia, akathisia, and tardive dyskinesia. The possibility of a good therapeutic response with minimal side effects can be increased if psychotic depression is diagnosed accurately and the antipsychotic is prescribed according to established clinical guidelines.