Psychiatry Investig.  2011 Sep;8(3):234-244.

Antidepressant Prescribing Patterns in Korea: Results from the Clinical Research Center for Depression Study

• Bae KY
• Kim SW
• Kim JM
• Shin IS
• Yoon JS
• Jung SW
• Lee MS
• Yim HW
• Jun TY

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to investigate antidepressant prescribing patterns, including initial choice, switching and combining, and concomitant use of non-antidepressant agents, for depressive disorders in naturalistic clinical care settings in Korea.
METHODS
Patients with depressive disorder were recruited from both outpatient and inpatient settings in 18 hospitals from all over Korea. Treatment was performed in naturalistic patterns based on each clinician's decision. Data were collected on the prescription of antidepressants and concomitant agents from baseline to 12-week follow-up.
RESULTS
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) were the most commonly prescribed initial antidepressant (48.9%), followed by newer dual-action antidepressants (45.8%). When an SSRI was the initial antidepressant, 46.2% of patients whose medication was changed were moved to newer dual-action antidepressants, and 67.4% of combination cases were combined with newer dual-action ones. When a newer dual-action antidepressant was the initial antidepressant, 70.6% of patients whose medication was changed were moved to SSRIs, and other antidepressants including tricyclic antidepressants were most commonly added for combination treatment (50% of combination cases). During the treatment period, 20.6% of antidepressants prescribed were augmented by non-antidepressant agents, and 75.1% were used concomitantly with anxiolytics or hypnotics. The most commonly used concomitant non-antidepressant agent was quetiapine.
CONCLUSION
The selection of antidepressants and the concomitant use of non-antidepressant agents are becoming increasingly diversified, and the results of this study reflect changes in the prescribing pattern in actual Korean practices.

Keyword

Antidepressive agents; Depression; Prescriptions; Korea; CRESCEND

MeSH Terms

Anti-Anxiety Agents
Antidepressive Agents
Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic
Depression
Depressive Disorder
Humans
Hypnotics and Sedatives
Inpatients
Korea
Outpatients
Prescriptions
Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors
Anti-Anxiety Agents
Antidepressive Agents
Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic
Hypnotics and Sedatives
Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors