Are
there any laboratory tests to determine if my antidepressants are working?
Depression
is a chronic illness affecting millions of people. In many people the disorder
is under treated. Part of the problem is that there is no specific way to
determine if the drugs are working. Most doctors ask the patient for symptoms
of depression and if there are none, they assume the drug is working. This
subjective way of evaluating drug efficacy is fraught with errors and is very
non-specific. For many years, researchers have been trying to develop
laboratory methods to assess effectiveness of antidepressants. Several lab
markers have been looked at and one called CRP seems to be the best marker to
study effectiveness of antidepressant drugs. Unfortunately CRP levels are not
specific and need to be serially monitored. This also adds to the cost of care.
So far, the only way to judge if you antidepressant is working is the presence
or absence of symptoms. If you have depression, you better know the symptoms so
that you can tell the doctor. If you do not have any clue, then there is no way
for the doctor to know if the medication is working.
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