Nesse R E, Finlayson R E
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
Am Fam Physician. 1996 May 1;53(6):2125-33.
Depressive illness is common in the general population, with a prevalence of 5 percent. However, 10 to 15 percent of any general medical population has clinically significant depression; in patients with selected chronic illnesses, prevalence rates between 25 to 50 percent are noted. In patients with coexisting medical illness, the diagnosis of depression requires differentiating symptoms of the medical illness from symptoms of the comorbid depression. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) can be helpful in this endeavor. An understanding of the effect of particular medications on neurotransmitters is required and can guide the clinician in selecting therapeutic agents that have a low incidence of side effects and toxicity.
抑郁症在普通人群中很常见，患病率为5%。然而，在任何普通内科人群中，10%至15%的人患有具有临床意义的抑郁症；在患有特定慢性疾病的患者中，患病率在25%至50%之间。对于患有合并内科疾病的患者，抑郁症的诊断需要区分内科疾病的症状和共病抑郁症的症状。《精神疾病诊断与统计手册》（第四版）（DSM-IV）在这方面可能会有所帮助。需要了解特定药物对神经递质的影响，这可以指导临床医生选择副作用和毒性发生率低的治疗药物。
